Su Xiaohua

Prof.  Su Xiaohua

Organization: Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry

Research category: Forest Genetics and Breeding

Research field: Genetic improvement system of poplar; theoretical and methodological research on innovation of poplar germplasm resources; molecular, high and new breeding technology for forest trees

E-mail: suxh@caf.ac.cn

Main work

Prof. Su Xiaohua pioneered the application of ecological breeding concepts in poplar breeding, conducted the division of nine major breeding areas for poplar in China, and established a multi-level selection new program and resource-efficient variety evaluation system, which integrates parental, combination, and colonal selection. Professor Su constructed an efficient breeding system for poplar based on ecological zones, and has generated more than 30 high-yield, high-quality and efficient new varieties, which cover more than 80% of the main planting areas. These varieties have been promoted and applied over 10 million acres in more than 20 provinces and regions, with an average volume increase of over 20%, promoting the widespread upgrading and replacement of varieties in the main planting areas.  

Prof. Su Xiaohua has constructed the first molecular genetic map of poplar in China and developed 22 functional molecular markers for important traits such as water or nutrient-use, light energy utilization, and wood properties, which could explain up to 19.48% of genetic variation and short the breeding cycle by nearly 50%. A breakthrough has been made on the problem of simultaneous improvement of multiple traits in forest trees: a co-transformation and identification technology for multi-gene has been constructed for poplar trees, a molecular breeding technology system for stress-resistance has also been established for poplar trees, leading to the cultivation of four new poplar varieties including the first international case of multi-gene transformed poplar. She created the world's first new gene-edited poplar germplasm for drought and salt resistance, and constructed bioinformatics analysis platforms for forest trees based on functional gene networks, which fill the research gaps in China.

Prof. Su Xiaohua carried out large-scale collection of germplasm resources from the entire natural distribution area of Aigeiros poplar, and core breeding populations have been constructed through systematic evaluations. A total of 2030 genotypes were conserved in 8 climate and ecological zones, which change the dilemma of insufficient effective poplar germplasm for breeding in China. She is leading the research in systematic evaluation of important traits such as water and nutrient use, as well as molecular genetic diversity in forest germplasm resources, constructed an genetic core germplasm bank with optimized phenotype for black poplar, and created 517 high-generation breeding germplasms, which lay the foundation for future efficient poplar breeding.

Key research projects

  • National Key Research and Development Program of the 14th Five-Year Plan 'Research on Precision and Efficient Cultivation Technology for Large-Diameter Industrial Resource Timber of Poplar' (2021YFD2201200), 2021.12-2024.11, project leader

  • National Key Research and Development Program of the 13th Five-Year Plan 'Research on Efficient Cultivation Technology for Industrial Resource Timber of Poplar' (2016YFD0600400), 2016.07-2020.12, project leader

  • National Key Technology R&D Program of the 12th Five-Year Plan 'Breeding of New Poplar Varieties of Fast-Growing Timber with Super High-Yield and High Quality' (2012BAD01B03), project leader, 2012-2016

  • Sub-project of National High Technology Research and Development Program (863 Program) 'Molecular Breeding and Variety Cultivation of Drought and Salt-Resistant Poplar' (2011AA100201), project leader, 2011-2015

  • Major Project of the National Forestry Public Welfare Industry Research 'Research on Key Technologies for Industrial Resource Timber Cultivation and New Products Development in Poplar' (201004004), project leader, 2010-2014

  • National Key Technology R&D Program of the 11th Five-Year Plan ‘Breeding of New Varieties of Fast-growing, High-yield and High-Quality Poplar and Eucalyptus' (2006BAD01A15), project leader, 2006-2010

  • National Key Science & Technology Special Project 'Cloning and Functional Identification of Genes Related to Drought Resistance and Salt Tolerance in Extreme Stress-resistant Woody Plants' (2009ZX08009-098B), project leader, 2009-2010

  • Sub-project of the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program) 'Pyramiding Breeding and Molecular Improvement of Fast-growing and High-quality Poplar Trees' (2009CB119107), project leader, 2009-2013

  • National Key Technology R&D Program of the 11th Five-Year Plan 'Research and Application of Key Technologies for the Cultivation of Fast-growing and High-yield Poplar', project co-leader, 2006-2010

  • National High Technology Research and Development Program 863 'Efficient Molecular and Cellular Breeding Techniques and Variety Creation for High-yield, High-quality, and Multi-resistant Trees, Flowers, and Grass', main participator, 2006-2010

  • National "948" Project 'Introduction and Innovation of Genetic Engineering Technology in Forest Trees', main participator, 2006-2010

  • National "948" Project 'Genetic Resources and Molecular Breeding Technology of Pulpwood Northern-type Populus deltoides', project leader, 2005-2008

  • National Key Technologies R&D Program of China of the 10th Five-year Plan 'Cultivation Technology of Excellent Varieties of Poplar and Paulownia', (2002BA515B03), project leader, 2001-2005

Awards & achievements

  • "Research and application of key technologies for cold-resistance   breeding and overwintering cold-disaster prevention and reduction in poplar" (2020-J-2-04-R02), the Second Prize of Liaoning Province Technological Progress Award, 2020, the second winner

  • "Establishment of technology system for molecular breeding of poplar on stress resistance and breeding of new varieties" (2019-KJJ-2-06-R01), the Second Prize of the Liang-Xi Award on Forest Science and Technology, 2019, the first winner

  • "Research and application of high-efficient cultivation technology system for southern-type poplar plantation" (2019-187-D02), the First Prize of Ministry of Education Scientific and Technological Progress Award, 2019, the second winner

  • He Liang He Li Fund Science and Technology Progress Award (Agricultural Award), 2018

  • "Cultivation and application of new poplar varieties of high yield and quality, and high efficiency for industrial uses" (2014-J-202-2-01-R01), the Second Prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, 2014, the first winner

  • "Innovation and utilization of poplar germplasm resources and the development of functional molecular markers"  (2011-KJ-1-03-R01), the First Prize of the Liang-Xi Award on Forest Science and Technology, 2011, the first winner

  • "Directional breeding and promotion of high-yield new varieties of industrial timber poplar" (2007-J-202-01-R02), the Second Prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, 2007, the second winner

  • "Introduction and regional trial of foreign poplar", the Third Prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, 1996, the second winner

Published articles & books

  • Tengqian Zhang#, Weixi Zhang#, Changjun Ding*, Zanmin Hu, Chengming Fan, Jing Zhang, Zhenghong Li, Songfeng Diao, Le Shen, Bingyu   Zhang, Guifeng Liu, Xiaohua Su*. 2023. A breeding strategy for improving   drought and salt tolerance of poplar based on CRISPR/Cas9. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 21, 2160–2162.

  • Le Shen, Changjun Ding, Weixi Zhang, Tengqian Zhang, Zhenghong Li, Jing Zhang, Yanguang Chu*, Xiaohua Su*. 2023. The Populus koreana genome provides insights into the biosynthesis of plant aroma [J]. Industrial Crops and Products, 197: 116453.

  • Qi Liu, Changjun Ding, Xiaoqiang Lang, Ganggang Guo, Jiafei Chen, Xiaohua Su*. Small noncoding RNA discovery and profiling with sRNAtools based on high-throughput sequencing. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 2021, 22(1): 463-473.

  • Zhang Weixi, Wang Yanbo, Zhang Tengqian, Zhang Jing, Shen Le, Zhang Bingyu, Ding Changjun*, Su Xiaohua*. 2022. Transcriptomic Analysis of Mature Transgenic Poplar Expressing the Transcription Factor JERF36 Gene in Two Different Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 10:929681.

  • Cun Chen, Yanguang Chu, Qinjun Huang, Weixi Zhang, Changjun Ding, Jing Zhang, Bo Li, Tengqian Zhang, Zhenghong Li, Xiaohua Su*. 2021. Morphological Physiological and Transcriptional Response to Low Nitrogen Stress in Populus Deltoides Marsh. Clones With Contrasting Nitrogen Use Efficiency. BMC Genomics, 22:697.

  • Changjun Ding, Weixi Zhang, Dan Li, Yufeng Dong, Junlong Liu, Qinjun Huang*, Xiaohua Su*. 2020. Effect of Overexpression of JERFs on Intracellular K+/Na+ Balance in Transgenic Poplar (Populus alba × P. berolinensis) Under Salt Stress. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11:1192.

  • Zhang Bingyu, Zhu Wenxu, Diao Shu, Wu Xiaojuan, Lu Junqian, Ding Changjun, Su Xiaohua*. 2019. The poplar pangenome provides insights into the evolutionary history of the genus. Communications Biology, 2: 215.

  • Yanbo Wang, Weixi Zhang, Changjun Ding, Bingyu Zhang, Qinjun Huang, Rongfeng Huang, Xiaohua Su*. 2019. Endophytic Communities of Transgenic Poplar Were Determined by the Environment and Niche Rather Than by Transgenic Events. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10: 588.

  • Kun Ning, Changjun Ding, Wenxu Zhu, Weixi Zhang, Yufeng Dong, Yingbai Shen and Xiaohua Su*. 2018. Comparative metabolomic analysis of the cambium tissue of non-transgenic and multi-gene transgenic Poplar (Populus euramericana 'Guariento'). Frontiers in plant science, 9: 1201.

  • Qi Liu, Changjun Ding, Yanguang Chu, Weixi Zhang, Ganggang Guo, Jiafei Chen, Xiaohua Su*. Pln24NT: a web resource for plant 24-nt siRNA producing loci. Bioinformatics, 2017, 33(13):2065-2067.

  • Su X H, Zhang B Y, Huang Q J. Genetic   Engineering Breeding of Poplar. Science Press. 2008.

  • Su X H, Huang Q J, Zhang B Y. Genetic Breeding of Poplar. China Forestry Publishing House, 2007.

Other results

  • Certified Variety. 'Poplar varieties Bofeng-1', National S-SC-PE-002-2011, First Breeder, 2011.

  • Certified Variety. 'Poplar varieties Bofeng-2', National S-SC-PE-002-2011, First Breeder, 2011.

  • Certified Variety. 'Poplar varieties Bofeng-3', National S-SV-PE-003-2017, First Breeder, 2017.

  • Certified Variety. 'Poplar varieties Huanghua-3', National S-SV-PD-004-2013, First Breeder, 2013.

  • Certified Variety. 'Poplar varieties Xifeng-6', National R-SC-PD-002-2006, Second Breeder, 2006.

  • Certified Variety. 'Poplar varieties Xifeng-25', National R-SC-PD-003-2006, Second Breeder, 2006.

  • Certified Variety. 'Poplar varieties Zhongxiong-4', National S-SV-PD-004-2023, Second Breeder, 2023.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Jianghuai-1', National S-SV-PD-002-2022, Second Breeder, 2022.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Huanghuai-1', Yu SV-PD-025-2013, First Breeder, 2013.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Huanghuai-2', Yu SV-PD-026-2013, First Breeder, 2013.

  • Certified Variety: 'Populus × canadensis-111', Liao S-SV-PE-005-2020, Second Breeder, 2013.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Jianghuai-2', Wan S-SC-PP-006-2013, Second Breeder, 2013.

  • Certified Variety. 'Poplar varieties Bofeng-4', Liao R-SV-PE-011-2017, Second Breeder, 2017.

  • Certified Variety: 'Populus × canadensis-177', Liao S-SC-PC-008-2018, Second Breeder, 2018.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Zhongxiong-1', Lu S-SV-PD-001-2018, Second Breeder, 2018.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Zhongxiong-2', Lu S-SV-PD-002-2018, Second Breeder, 2018.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Huanghuai-4', Lu S-SV-PD-003-2018, Second Breeder, 2018.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Zhongxiong-6', Lu S-SV-PE-005-2020, Second Breeder, 2020.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Zhongxiong-7', Lu S-SV-PE-006-2020, Second Breeder, 2020.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Huanghuai-5', Lu S-SV-PE-007-2020, Second Breeder, 2020.

  • Certified Variety: 'Poplar varieties Huanghuai-6', Lu S-SV-PE-008-2020, Second Breeder, 2020.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Lingfeng-1', 20080035, First Breeder, 2008.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Lingfeng-2', 20080036, First Breeder, 2008.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Lingfeng-3', 20080037, First Breeder, 2008.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Lingfeng-4', 20080038, First Breeder, 2008.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Lingfeng-5', 20080039, First Breeder, 2008.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Huanghua-1', 20120151, First Breeder, 2012.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Huanghua-2', 20120152, First Breeder, 2012.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Huanghua-3', 20120153, First Breeder, 2012.

  • New Variety: 'Multi-resistance Poplar-2', 20120154, First Breeder, 2012.

  • New Variety: 'Multi-resistance Poplar-3', 20120155, First Breeder, 2012.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Jiangghua-1', 20140019, First Breeder, 2014.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Bofeng-3', 20150125, First Breeder, 2015.

  • New Variety: 'Anti-stress Poplar-1', 20150126, First Breeder, 2015.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Zhongxiong-1', 20180137, First Breeder, 2018.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Zhongxiong-2', 20180138, First Breeder, 2018.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Zhongxiong-3', 20180139, First Breeder, 2018.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Zhongxiong-4', 20180140, First Breeder, 2018.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Zhongxiong-5', 20180141, First Breeder, 2018.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Huanghuai-4', 20180136, First Breeder, 2018.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Xixiong-1', 20190358, First Breeder, 2019.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Xixiong-2', 20190359, First Breeder, 2019.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Xixiong-3', 20190360, First Breeder, 2019.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Zhonghan-3', 20200363, First Breeder, 2020.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Jiamei-1', 20220360, First Breeder, 2020.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Jiamei-2', 20220360, First Breeder, 2020.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Qixiong-1', 20220362, First Breeder, 2020.

  • New Variety: 'Poplar Qixiong-2', 20220363, First Breeder, 2020.

  • Chinese Invention Patent: A transcription factor zinc finger protein gene ZxZF and its application, ZL 200610090934.4 First inventor, 2011.

  • Chinese Invention Patent: A General Extraction Method of Plant Total RNA, ZL 201210103814.9, First inventor, 2015.

  • Chinese Invention Patent: A method for simultaneously removing the surface and endophytic bacteria of explants during plant tissue culture, ZL 201610576607.3, First inventor, 2018.