The 9th Youth Scholar Academic Session of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science & Taishan Scholar Forum on Horticultural Biotechnology Successfully Held

From November 28 to 30, the "9th Youth Scholar Academic Session of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science & Taishan Scholar Forum on Horticultural Biotechnology" was held in Qingdao. The event was hosted by the Youth Branch of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science and Qingdao Agricultural University, and co-organized by the College of Horticulture of Qingdao Agricultural University, the Office of Science and Technology of Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the Shandong Fruit Industry Technology System. The theme of the conference was "Inheriting Horticulture with Integrity and Innovation, Embarking on a New Journey with Youthful Dedication." More than 300 representatives from nearly 100 agriculture-related universities, research institutes, and industry enterprises across 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) attended the conference.

Guo Shangjing, Vice President of Qingdao Agricultural University; Li Tianhong, Vice President of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science and Dean of the College of Horticulture at China Agricultural University; and Dai Zhanwu, Chairman of the Youth Branch of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. The opening ceremony was presided over by Zhang Zhonghua, Dean of the College of Horticulture at Qingdao Agricultural University.

On behalf of Qingdao Agricultural University, Vice President Guo Shangjing extended a warm welcome and sincere gratitude to all the leaders and guests attending the conference, and offered hearty congratulations on the convening of the meeting. He also introduced the university's history and the current status of its horticulture discipline. He expressed his expectation that the participating experts and scholars would focus on the conference theme, "Inheriting Horticulture with Integrity and Innovation, Embarking on a New Journey with Youthful Dedication," and generate more applicable research outcomes to inject stronger momentum into the development of the horticulture industry. He also noted that the university would take this conference as an opportunity to deepen external exchanges and cooperation, contributing more to the high-quality development of the horticulture industry and advancing horticultural science and technology innovation.

On behalf of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science, Professor Li Tianhong extended warm congratulations on the successful convening of the conference, sincere thanks to the organizing committee, and a warm welcome to the experts and scholars who traveled from afar. In her address, Li Tianhong stated that the Youth Branch of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science has always been a core platform for uniting young scholars, fostering the collision of ideas, and promoting disciplinary innovation. The theme of this session, "Inheriting Horticulture with Integrity and Innovation, Embarking on a New Journey with Youthful Dedication," not only carries forward the profound heritage of horticultural science but also highlights the mission and responsibility of the younger generation.

Chairman Dai Zhanwu introduced the current status of the Youth Branch. Under the leadership and support of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science, the Youth Branch adheres to its original mission of guiding and serving the growth of young scholars. Through diverse activities such as academic exchanges, interdisciplinary integration, and collaborative industry services, it provides an important platform for in-depth communication among young scholars. He expressed the hope that through this conference, every participant would gain new knowledge, new insights, and new progress in their endeavors, making this symposium an important opportunity for building consensus and deepening cooperation.

The symposium specially invited Professor Zhang Xingping, Vice Dean of the Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, to deliver a keynote report titled "Germplasm Innovation Driven by Industrial Demand and Technological Progress." In addition, 13 distinguished national-level talents, including Professor Liu Mingchun from Sichuan University, Professor Shi Kai from Zhejiang University, Professor Li Yuanyuan from Shandong Agricultural University, and Professor Song Chuankui from Anhui Agricultural University, presented outstanding invited talks. Forty-five young experts and scholars from the fields of fruit science, vegetable science, tea science, and ornamental horticulture delivered conference reports, sharing the latest research progress in their respective areas.

During the conference, the Standing Committee of the Youth Branch of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science was convened, with the meeting chaired by Wang Yi, Secretary-General of the Youth Branch.