2026 Young Scholars Forum staged in Sanya city

The two-day 2026 Young Scholars Forum — organized by the Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory — kicked off on June 6 in Yazhou Bay, located in China's southernmost Hainan province.

The goal was to help implement the national seed industry revitalization strategy, speed up the development of Nanfan Silicon Valley and accelerate the gathering of talent and translation of research results in the seed industry.

Following its launch in 2025, the forum has become an annual high-profile academic event designed for young researchers worldwide.

It offers a dynamic platform for exchanging cutting-edge ideas, showcasing top-tier research, cultivating elite talent and promoting collaboration between industry and academia.

The initiative aims to drive technological innovation and industrial advancement in the tropical seed sector.

The forum featured two main tracks: One for postdoctoral researchers and another for young researchers.

It included focused discussions on tropical aquaculture, tropical fruit and vegetable breeding — addressing industry challenges like the genetic improvement of aquaculture germplasm and the promotion of new varieties.

The event highlighted a series of groundbreaking achievements by young scholars worldwide in the tropical seed field, filling industry gaps and providing theoretical support for developing superior varieties.

It also facilitates the application of lab research in fields and aquaculture bases, strengthening the lab's foundational innovation resources.

"We aim to leverage the strategic position and policy benefits of the Hainan Free Trade Port, using this forum as a springboard to continually improve the environment for talent development," said an official of the Hainan Seed Laboratory.

"Our goal is to attract more outstanding young global talent to Yazhou, where they can focus on the seed industry," the official added. "This will provide strong talent support and technological assurance for overcoming seed technology bottlenecks — ensuring national food security and driving the high-quality development of the seed industry in the Hainan FTP."