Shanghai Agrobiological Gene Center (SAGC) was established on July 27, 2002. Sponsored by Shanghai Municipal Government, affiliated with Shanghai Municipal Agriculture Commission and under the entrusted management by Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai Agrobiological Gene Center is a nonprofit research organization specializing in the research on agrobiological gene resources. SAGC is led by a principal scientist under the leadership of the Board. The mission of SAGC is: with foothold in Shanghai, serving the whole country, connecting with the world, preparing material and technology foundation for sustainable development of agriculture in China. The main research tasks include: collection and conservation, investigation and evaluation, breeding and enhancement, and exploration and utilization of agrobiological gene resources and also the research on related technologies.

SAGC is composed of seven functional units, including Administrative Office, Development and Research Center for Water-saving and Drought-resistant Rice, Gene Bank,Germplasm Resources Division, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Laboratory of Germplasm Evaluation and Genetic Innovation, Shanghai National Platform of Crop Germplasm, Shanghai Scientific Observation and Experiment Station, Crop Germplasm and Genetic Innovation of MOA, China. The numbers of regular staff, contracted staff, master/doctorate/post-doctorate students are 33, 32, and 45, respectively.

SAGC has set up the only comprehensive agrobiological genebank in China, including two conservation systems, low temperature and low humidity, and liquid nitrogen. The genebank has capacity to conserve 300,000 accessions for long term, medium term, and short term conservation. Modern laboratories for study and utilization of germplasm provide ideal conditions for comprehensive evaluation and identification of elite germplasm, exploration, isolation and transfer of useful genes, study on functional genomics of main crops, and enhancement and utilization of germplasm. Currently, SAGC has stocked over 100,000 accessions of germplasm, and has provided over 20,000 accessions to other institutions, including main grain and cash crops, such as, rice, wheat, maize, barley, rapeseed, vegetables, flowers, and also microorganism resources and genetic engineering material. Also, SAGC has made good progress in collection and conservation of rice functional genomics resources.

SAGC has undertaken more than 30 research projects, including National Basic Research Program of China (National 973 Program), and Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China (National 863 Program), sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology. National 948 Key Program, sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). Major and key programs for development of science and technology sponsored by Shanghai Municipal Sci-Tech Commission, and major and key programs for developing agriculture through science and technology sponsored by Shanghai Municipal Agriculture Commission. SAGC participates actively in international collaboration, for instance, the research program sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation of USA.

With consideration on national food security, water resources security, and environment security, the study on water saving and drought tolerant rice becomes one of the important research areas in SAGC. In 2003, “Zhonghan No. 3", the first water saving and drought tolerant upland rice in southern China selected by SAGC passed the national multiple trail and registered by the MOA and it becomes check variety for regional variety trails in rice production area in southern China. In 2004, upland rice varieties, “Huhan No. 3” and “Huhan No. 7”, were released and registered. More importantly, SAGC has developed the world first sterile line of upland rice, and realized three-line hybrid combination. Two water saving and drought tolerant hybrid upland rice combinations, “Hanyou No. 2” and “Hanyou No. 3” were registered by Shanghai Variety Appraisal Committee, and these varieties have been planted in large scale for production. This was an important event in the history of development of upland rice in the world, having significant theoretical meanings and application values. The research achievements obtained from research program “Evaluation and Enhancement of Germplasm of Water Saving and Drought Tolerant Cultivated Rice and New Variety Breeding” and research program “Gene Resources Enhancement and Molecular Breeding of Rice” were awarded the First Prize for Progress in Science and Technology by Shanghai Municipality in 2005 and 2007 respectively.