en.Wedoany.com Reported - A key national research and development project jointly conducted by Chinese and Serbian scientists, focusing on the conservation and efficient utilization of endangered functional plant resources native to both countries, has achieved milestone results.
The collaboration began in 2019. Dr. Željana Prijić, Principal Research Fellow at the Institute for Medicinal Plants Research "Dr. Josif Pančić" in Serbia, established contact with the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) while attending an international breeding training course in China. At that time, peonies had not been systematically studied in Serbia, and some populations were endangered in their natural habitats.
Project leader Xue Jingqi, a researcher at the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, CAAS, led the team to jointly establish an efficient rapid propagation system for peonies native to China and Serbia with their Serbian counterparts. This system overcame challenges in tissue culture such as slow growth, browning, vitrification, and rooting difficulties, yielding over 20,000 sterile tissue-cultured plantlets. In March 2025, this technical protocol received official recognition from the Scientific Committee of the Serbian Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation.
Prijić stated that the application of modern technologies, especially artificial intelligence, combined with the institute's 79 years of experience in medicinal plant research, has laid the foundation for future cooperation. During the collaboration, both sides overcame difficulties such as international travel restrictions, co-published over ten papers in high-impact international journals, and conducted multiple exchange visits. Throughout the project's execution, the two sides held 8 academic exchanges, conducted 11 mutual visits, published 7 academic papers with primary affiliation, applied for 6 national invention patents, and were granted 2. The Chinese side held breeding training courses, training over 30 Serbian participants.
The science and technology poverty reduction project is chaired by Zhang Xiuxin, a researcher at the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, CAAS, and a position scientist in the China Agriculture Research System for Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials. The partnership has been expanded to include the Institute for Science Application in Agriculture in Serbia. Dr. Dušan Nikolić, Assistant Director of the institute, explained that the collaboration was facilitated by the Chinese Embassy in Serbia, with formal contact beginning in November 2024. Both sides are advancing the construction of a "Joint Demonstration Center for Functional Plant Development."
Nikolić stated that Serbia hopes to introduce advanced technologies, modern production systems, and smart agricultural solutions from China, including digital tools, sensors, data-driven decision-making systems, and the application of artificial intelligence in agriculture. The project has selected over ten Serbian farming households for targeted support, primarily focusing on young farmers under 45 with children, higher education, and a willingness to remain in rural areas. In July this year, the second phase of technical training will be held in Serbia, where experts will provide on-site guidance in the fields of the selected farming households.
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