AWARDEE OF AGRONOMY PRIZE

XIA DEQUAN

Xia Dequan is an expert on fish genetics and breeding. He is not only the professor of the Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences and the tutor of doctorate candidates, but also the academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering. He has been working on fish genetic breeding and biotechnology for a long time and has contributed a lot to the Chinese fishery development. By integrating the new high-technology with the routine breeding technology, he has made breakthroughs in the key technology which has enabled to stabilize the male-rate of hybrid Nile and blue tilapia above 95%, initiated the all-male tilapia culture in China and attained outstanding economic returns by extending the tilapia culture in 30 provinces and metropolitans in China. In particular, the Agricultural Spanning Project headed by him—the Project Demonstration of Key technologies for Culture and Export Processing of High Male-rate Tilapia, has been implemented in Guangxi Province for more than two years and has scored fine economic, social and ecological returns. As a successful example of major findings of research and development applied in production, it has promoted the economic development and farmers’ income increment in the western part of China. Professor Xia has also introduced the immunoelectrophoresis technology into the fish isozyme studies to enable the accurate identification of various zymograms of fishes. The new design is pioneering in China and belongs to advanced level in the world. In addition, he uses DNA fingerprinting technology to establish heterosis forecasting index, which once again is pioneering in fish breeding.
As the first accomplisher for all the items except for one item, Professor Xia has been successively awarded one second-class prize and two third-class prizes of National Science and Technology Achievement, two first-class prizes，two second-class prizes, and three third-class prizes of Science and Technology Achievement of the Ministry of Agriculture so far, and has made tremendous contributions to the development of theory and practice of fish breeding in China. He has issued more than 70 papers. With the diligent style of study, he devotes all his attention to his students and young scientists. He has trained 40 graduates including 11 doctorates; and he has enthusiastically trained and made much of the young scientists, including more than 10 of them have promoted to high academic titles and become the backbone in research and training, making important contributions to the development of research personnel in the field of fish genetics and breeding.