Source: College of Modern Agriculture

DALIAN, November 5 – A research team led by ZWU President and Researcher Lin Zhihua has won the First Prize in Science and Technology Progress at the 2025 Fan Li Science and Technology Awards. The award was presented today at the 2025 Fan Li Academic Conference in Dalian, Liaoning Province.

The winning project, titled “Breeding and Industrial Application of High-Yield and High-Quality New Varieties of Meretrix meretrix,” was completed in collaboration with the Jiangsu Ocean and Fisheries Research Institute and three other organizations. Standing out among numerous entries nationwide, it was one of the only five projects to receive the first prize, marking a prestigious validation of our university’s research strength in the aquatic seed industry.

Revolutionizing the “World’s First Freshness”

The hard clam (Meretrix meretrix), often hailed as the “World’s most delicious seafood,” is a pillar species in China’s mariculture. However, the industry has long struggled with germplasm degradation, a scarcity of high-quality varieties, and inefficient farming models.

To address these challenges, President Lin’s team executed a “laboratory to pond” research strategy, achieving four key breakthroughs:

• Germplasm Foundation: Established China’s first germplasm repository for Meretrix meretrix.

• New Variety Breeding: Successfully bred two nationally certified new varieties, “Wanli Hong” and “Wanli No. 2.” These varieties demonstrate growth rates 24.1% and 34.8% higher than traditional breeds, effectively solving the issue of slow growth.

• Mass Breeding Technology: Overcame bottlenecks in large-scale propagation to ensure a stable supply of high-quality seeds.

• New Farming Models: Created efficient, ecological farming models to drive the green transformation of the industry.

A “Blue Granary” Success Story

The Fan Li Science and Technology Award is approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology and represents the highest level of comprehensive achievement in China’s fishery industry. The project was evaluated by authoritative experts as having reached an “international leading level.”

Key Project Outputs:

• 2 Nationally Certified New Varieties

• 24 Authorized National Invention Patents

• 7 Local Standards

• 2 Published Books

• 83 High-Level Research Papers

Impact and Application

The project’s innovations have been widely promoted in major production areas such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu. The application of these new varieties and techniques has generated over 5.1 billion RMB in added output value and 3.3 billion RMB in new profits. This achievement not only provides a technological blueprint for the industry’s upgrade but also contributes significantly to national food security by safeguarding the “Blue Granary.”