Xuanjun Fang , Qixue Liang

Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources (HITAR), Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Plant Breeding, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 1   
Received: 20 Jan., 2026    Accepted: 24 Feb., 2026    Published: 10 Mar., 2026

This article was first published in Fenzi Zhiwu Yuzhong (Molecular Plant Breeding) in Chinese, and here was authorized to translate and publish the paper in English under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

As modern crop breeding faces increasing complexity from long R&D cycles, rising resource costs, stringent regulatory frameworks, and growing data demands, traditional in-house models often fail to provide scalable and compliant solutions. This study proposes a theoretical framework for Breeding Contract Research Organizations (Breeding CROs) based on 25 years of continuous service experience. Grounded in international CRO models and contextualized for agricultural breeding, the framework defines five core modules: trial design and technical planning, molecular and field experimentation, data analytics, regulatory compliance, and extended services. It emphasizes three operational pillars—contract-based collaboration, standardized procedures, and auditable data systems. Drawing on the developmental trajectory of the Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources (HITAR), the study analyzes the institutional transition from fragmented technical services to a full-platform CRO system. Through representative global collaboration cases, it articulates how breeding CROs uniquely integrate scientific rigor, market responsiveness, and regulatory alignment. The paper also highlights systemic challenges, including the lack of service terminology, fragmented regulation, and delayed return on investment. Strategic directions are proposed, emphasizing the construction of industry standards, international interoperability mechanisms, and AI-enabled smart service platforms to support the future transformation of global breeding systems.

 

Breeding CRO; Contract research organization; Breeding service system; Trial design and data analysis; Compliance and quality management; Seed industry innovation system