On December 6th, the 2023 China Agricultural and Rural Technology Development Forum and China Modern Agriculture Development Forum was held in Nanjing. The event was guided by the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and jointly organized by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Chinese Society of Agriculture, and the Agricultural Technology Development Center. Nearly 1,000 participants, including renowned academicians, experts, entrepreneurs, investors, and government representatives in the agricultural sector, gathered in Nanjing to discuss agricultural technology.

The forum released five special reports, including "2023 Major Advances in China Agricultural Science" and "2023 Major New Technologies, Products, and Equipment in China's Agriculture and Rural Areas." It selected 10 breakthrough achievements in agricultural basic science research, announced 62 research hotspots across 9 agricultural disciplines, and showcased 31 new technologies, products, and equipment with significant application potential.

The highly anticipated "Three New" achievements (new technologies, products, and equipment) in China's agricultural sector were officially announced, with 31 innovations selected, including 10 new technologies, 11 new products, and 10 new pieces of equipment.

Among these, Guard® (Bt engineered strain G033A), jointly developed by Wuhan KERNEL Biotechnology Co., Ltd. ("KERNEL") and the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, was recognized as a major new product.

Guard® fills two gaps in China's pest control market: it is the country's first Bt product for controlling Coleoptera pests and the first engineered bacterial product. It is China's first proprietary Bt product that can simultaneously control both Lepidoptera and Coleoptera pests.

The product shows excellent field control efficacy against Lepidoptera pests such as fall armyworm, cotton bollworm, and Tuta absoluta, as well as Coleoptera pests including flea beetles and Colorado potato beetle.
Currently, the product has demonstrated promising application prospects in demonstration fields covering 200,000 mu across 14 provinces and autonomous regions including Guangxi and Yunnan.
While microbial preparations represent both the industry's future direction and KERNEL's core development focus, Bt products, as efficient and safe microbial insecticides, are at the forefront of industry transformation.
As a leading enterprise in agricultural microbial preparations, KERNEL continuously applies advanced technology to explore product potential in Bt product development, injecting new momentum into green agricultural development. The company has developed several Bt series products with different types and targets:
Axbon® - China's exclusive formulation combining Bacillus thuringiensis and Emamectin benzoate
·Barrier® - The world's first nematicidal Bt HAN055
·An upcoming product - China's first registered Bt JQ23 for controlling Bradysia odoriphaga, developed in collaboration with the Plant Protection Institute of Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences .

The "Three new products" achievements selection and release program has been conducted for six consecutive years, with over 180 innovative achievements promoted. These achievements have been gradually transformed into industrial production capabilities, becoming important drivers supporting rural revitalization and agricultural modernization.