National Coarse Grain Engineering Technology Research Center

Coarse grains include millet, maiden cane, sorghum, oat, barley, and edible beans like mung bean and pea. China has a perennial planting area of 150 million mu, accounting for 10% of the total area of food crops. Coarse grains are not only an important component of the country’s food security, but also a guarantee for maintaining diversity of people’s dietary structure. They are also fundamental and important for agricultural sustainable development of the remote dry coarse grain production areas. Most of the coarse grains are resistant to drought, especially millet, maiden cane and sorghum. Therefore, they are strategic reserve crops for coping with water resource reduction and global warming. China has the largest number of coarse grain types and the widest planting area. China is also the country of origin for most coarse grains. However, we have been lagging behind in breeding, processing, and industrialization of coarse grains. There is a lack of high-quality research personnel. It is urgent to strengthen research in coarse grain engineering.

Establishment of the National Coarse Grain Engineering Technology Center and construction of an international first-class coarse grain engineering technology research and development team has great significance for the development of the industry. It will lead domestic engineering technology research, provide strong support in original innovation, cultivate innovative talents, promote communication in the development of coarse grains industry technology, and improve competitiveness of the national coarse grain industry. Also, it will represent the country in international communication and cooperation and enhance the country’s soft power in coarse grain industry around the world.

Main Tasks of the Center:

• To breed new cultivars of coarse grains which are suitable for industrial production and to research into supporting technology and production demonstration;

• To discover and utilize useful resources for breeding coarse grain varieties;

• To conduct theoretical analysis and product research of deep processing of coarse grains and to extend the coarse grain industry chain;

• To establish coarse grains comprehensive industrial technology supporting assembly and to construct industrial production demonstration area;

• To cultivate high-level talents for coarse grain technology.

Below the management committee and engineering technical committee, there are general department, engineering technology department, and technology transfer department. The engineering technology department consists of millet and maiden cane engineering, oat and buckwheat engineering, sorghum engineering, barley engineering, edible beans engineering and coarse grains processing engineering. The technology transfer department is responsible for medium size testing of technology results, demonstration and application, consulting and training and others.