On January 19, the 2025 Annual Academic Conference of the National Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Germplasm Innovation and Resource Utilization of Anhui Agricultural University was held in the Biotechnology Building. A total of 26 presentations were arranged for the conference. Song Chuankui, Executive Deputy Director of the laboratory, introduced the laboratory's annual construction achievements. The principal investigator of each team reported on scientific research achievements, academic exchange, talent cultivation and industrial services. Professor Wan Xiaochun, Director of the laboratory, members of the leadership team of the College of Tea Industry, and all teachers and students of the National Key Laboratory attended the meeting.

In his concluding remarks, Wan Xiaochun fully affirmed the progress the laboratory has made over the past year in high-level papers, horizontal projects and variety breeding. He pointed out that the laboratory still has shortcomings in original innovation, the cultivation of major achievements, leading industrial development, interdisciplinary work and team collaboration. He stressed that, as the only National Key Laboratory in the tea field, facing new circumstances, new requirements and new opportunities, the laboratory should focus on its construction tasks, anchor itself to national strategic needs, continue to deepen collaborative innovation, innovate its team management systems and mechanisms, strengthen the combination of applied basic research with industrial needs, and truly shoulder the mission of serving the national strategy, helping to promote the high-quality development of China's tea industry. All teachers and students should further cherish the platform, always hold a heart of gratitude and dedication, and work together to promote the sustained high-quality development of the laboratory.

Jiang Jiasheng, Party Secretary of the College of Tea Industry, reviewed the laboratory's journey of striving from a provincial-level platform to a National Key Laboratory. He encouraged everyone in the new year to adopt the attitude of striving forward without needing to be spurred on, focus on the three priorities of attracting and gathering talent, tackling key research problems and team collaboration, take proactive action and press ahead, carry forward the spirit of tea people, and jointly maintain and continuously enhance the laboratory's platform advantages and development vitality.

The meeting also presented the 2025 Annual Research Rising Star Award for graduate students and the Outstanding Individual Award for Public Welfare Activities. (Photos: Hui Hao; Text/Editor: Guan Zhenyu; Pre-review: Zhang Xianlin; Review: Song Chuankui)