Principal Investigator

Dr. Xingping Zhang

Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences
699 Binghu Road, Xiashan Ecological and Economic Development Zone, Weifang, Shandong, P.R. China
Email: xingping.zhang@pku-iaas.edu.cn | Phone: +86 18857578357

Education

      ·      Ph.D. in  Genetics (Minor in Statistics)
            Clemson University, USA, 1993–1995

      ·      M.S. in  Vegetable Science
             Northwestern Agricultural University (now Northwest A&F University), China, 1983–1986

      ·       B.S. in  Horticulture
             Gansu Agricultural University, China, 1979–1983

Professional Experience

       ·      Deputy  Director
             Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, China
             August 2019 – Present

       ·     Science  and Technology Fellow
             Syngenta Biotechnology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., China
             January 2017 – July 2019

       ·     Chief  Scientist, Director
             Ming Kang Hui Ecological Agriculture Group, Hailiang Ecological Agriculture Research Institute, China
             October 2013 – December 2016

       ·     Plant  Scientist, Chief Watermelon Breeder, Head of Global Cucurbits R&D
             Syngenta, USA
             October 1999 – October 2013

       ·      Plant  Breeder/Research Department Director
             Hollar Seeds, USA
             March 1996 – September 1999

       ·       Research  Assistant, Postdoctoral Fellow
              Clemson University, USA
              May 1991 – March 1996

       ·       Assistant,  Lecturer
              Northwest A&F University, China
              July 1986 – May 1991

Research Interests

      ·      Reference genome construction for cucurbit crops; identification, cloning, and functional validation of genes for essential traits.

      ·      Trait introgression and accelerated breeding methods.

      ·      New germplasm generation via advanced technologies and breeding of commercial varieties.

Selected Publications

Yilin Zhang†, Mingxia Zhao†, Jingsheng Tan†, Minghan Huang†, Xiao Chu , Yan Li, Xue Han, Taohong Fang, Yao Tian, Robert Jarret, Dongdong Lu, Yijun Chen, Lifang Xue, Xiaoni Li, Guochen Qin, Bosheng Li, Yudong Sun, Xing Wang Deng, Yun Deng*, Xingping Zhang* and Hang He*, Telomere-to-telomere Citrullus Super-pangenome Provides Direction for Watermelon Breeding, Nature Genetics2024 Aug;56(8):1750-1761. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-024-01823-6.

Yun Deng, · Xin Liu,· Shoucheng Liu,· Xiaoni Li,· Lifang Xue,· Tian Bai,· Binghua Xu,· Guoqing Li,· Yudong Sun,· Xingping Zhang*, Fine mapping of ClLOX, a QTL for powdery mildew resistance in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.), Theoretical and Applied Genetics (2024) 137:51 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-023-04520-w

Pingli Yuan†, Congping Xu†, Nan He†, Xuqiang Lu, Xingping Zhang, Jianli Shang, Hongju Zhu, Chengsheng Gong, Hanhui Kaung, Tang Tang, Yong Xu, Shuangwu Ma, Dexi Sun, Weiqin Zhang, Muhammad J. Umar, Jian Shi, Alisdair R. Fernie, Wenge Liu* & Jie Luo (2022) Watermelon domestication was shaped by stepwise selection and regulation of the metabolome. Science China-Life Sciences, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-022-2198-5.

Yun Deng, Shoucheng Liu, Yilin Zhang, Jingsheng Tan, Xiaopeng Li, Xiao Chu, Binghua Xu, Yao Tian, Yudong Sun, Bosheng Li, Yunbi Xu, Xing Wang Deng, Hang He*, Xingping Zhang* (2022) A telomere-to-telomere gap-free reference genome of watermelon and its mutation library provide important resources for gene discovery and breeding. Molecular Plant, Aug 1;15(8):1268-1284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2022.06.010.

Yunbi Xu*, Xingping Zhang, Huihui Li, Hongjian Zheng, Jianan Zhang, Michael S Olsen, Rajeev K Varshney, Boddupalli M Prasanna, Qian Qian (2022) Smart breeding driven by big data, artificial intelligence, and integrated genomic-enviromic prediction. Molecular Plant, 2022 Nov 7;15(11):1664-1695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2022.09.001.

ZHANG Xingping, QIAN Qian, ZHANG JiaNan, DENG XingWang, WAN JianMin, XU Yunbi* (2021) Transforming and Upgrading Off-Season Breeding in Hainan Through Molecular Plant Breeding. Scientia Agricultura Sinica, 54(18):3789-3804.https://doi.org/10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2021.18.001

Lv J, Yu K, Wei J, Gui H, Liu C,Liang D, Wang Y, Zhou H, Carlin R, Rich R, Lu T, Que Q, Wang W , Zhang X*  and Kelliher T. (2020) Generation of paternal haploids in wheat by genome editing of the centromeric histone CENH3. Nature Biotechnology, 2020 Dec;38(12):1397-1401. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-020-0728.

Guo S, Zhao S, Sun H, Wang X, Wu S, Lin T, Ren Y, Gao L, Deng Y, Zhang J, Lu X, Zhang H, Shang J, Gong G, Wen C, He N, Tian S, Li M, Liu J, Wang Y, Zhu Y, Jarret R, Levi A, Zhang X*, Huang S, Fei Z, Liu W, Xu Y. (2019) Resequencing of 414 cultivated and wild watermelon accessions identifies selection for fruit quality traits. Nature Genetics, 2019 Nov;51(11):1616-1623. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-019-0518-4.

Wu S, Wang X, Reddy U, Sun H, Bao K, Gao L, Mao L, Patel T, Ortiz C, Abburi VL, Nimmakayala P, Branham SE, Wechter P, Massey L, Ling K-S, Kousik C, Hammar SA, Tadmor Y, Portnoy V, Gur A, Katzir N, Nihat G, Davis A, Ha G, Wright CL, Mcgregor C, Jarret R, Zhang X*, Xu Y, Wehner TC, Grummet R, Levi A, Fei Z. (2019) Genome of ‘Charleston Gray’, the principal American watermelon cultivar, and genetic characterization of accessions in the US National Plant Germplasm System watermelon collection. Plant Biotechnology J, 2019 Dec;17(12):2246-2258. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.13136.

Patents

US PVP

 ·        2000, “90-4194” (US PVP No. 200100260)

 ·        2003, “SP-1” （US PVP No. 200300006）

 ·        2005, “90-4262” (US PVP No. 200600019)

 ·        2006, “SP-4” （US PVP No. 200700023）

 ·        2007, “4XMSAS” (US PVP No. 200800012)

 ·        2007, “4XHDML6” (US PVP No. 200800025)

 ·        2007, “90-4343ts” (US PVP No. 200800033)

 ·        2009, “SP-5” （US PVP No. 201000008

 ·        2009, “4XASSS4” (US PVP No. 201000270)

 ·        2009, “4XCS34” (US PVP No. 201000271

 ·        2009, “Fascination” (US PVP No. 201100269)

CHINA PVP

 ·        2019， “Sumeng 2” （China PVP No. 2019014159）

 ·        2019， “Sumeng 6” （China PVP No. 2019014164）

 ·        2019， “Sumeng 7” （China PVP No. 2019014160）

 ·        2019， “Sumeng 9” （China PVP No. 2020015071）

Honors & Awards

     ·      Lifetime Achievement Award - Cucurbitaceae 2018

     ·      Syngenta Science and Technology Award, 2003

     ·      National Science and Technology Progress Award (Second Prize), 2001

     ·      China Patent Invention Award (Gold Prize), 1997

Major Research Achievements

      ·      Tetraploid Induction Technology: Pioneered safe and effective chromosome doubling methods in watermelons, broadly applied in plant breeding.

      ·      Watermelon Genome Sequencing: Co-led the first watermelon whole-genome sequencing project, published in Nature Genetics.

      ·      Genomic Selection Platform: Developed for traits including disease resistance, fruit quality, and yield in watermelon.

      ·      Gene Editing for Wheat and Watermelon: Led successful CenH3 mutation projects and other disease resistance and quality improvement efforts at Syngenta.

Representative Varieties

       ·      XiNong 8: A widely cultivated open-field variety in China since 1991, significantly impacting Chinese agriculture.

       ·      PureHeart™ Series: Mini seedless watermelon series commercially successful across multiple countries since 2001.

       ·      Super Pollenizer SP-1 and Improved Varieties: Developed in 2003, SP-1 revolutionized seedless watermelon production by enhancing pollination efficiency, with subsequent improved varieties further boosting production effectiveness.

       ·      Seeded Watermelon Manchester: Developed in 2008, a high-quality, robust seeded variety that has become a benchmark in regions such as Brazil, Africa, and the Middle East.

       ·      Seedless Watermelon Fascination: Developed in 2009, reshaped the North American seedless watermelon market and had a global influence.

       ·      Fresh-cut Seedless Watermelon Crisp Delight: Introduced in 2010, a super-firm, high-quality seedless variety with resistance to Fusarium wilt and anthracnose, ideal for fresh-cut processing.

Social Services

       ·      Cucurbit Crop Germplasm Committee Member, USDA: Engaged in project reviews and research recommendations for cucurbit crop genetics.

       ·      Keynote Speaker at the 3rd International Symposium on Cucurbits, ISHS, presenting on "Genetic Improvement of Watermelon in the United States" (May 2005, Townsville, Australia).

       ·      Scientific Committee Member at Cucurbitaceae 2006 (September 2006, Asheville, NC, USA).

       ·      Scientific Committee Chair at the 4th International Symposium on Cucurbits, ISHS (September 2009, Changsha, China).

       ·      Scientific Committee Member at Cucurbitaceae 2010 (November 2010, Charleston, SC, USA).

       ·      Keynote Speaker and Scientific Committee Member at Eucarpia Cucurbitaceae 2012 (October 2012, Antalya, Turkey).

       ·      Keynote Speaker and Scientific Committee Member at Cucurbitaceae 2022 (October 30 – November 2, 2022, Naples, FL, USA).

       ·      Keynote Speaker and Scientific Committee Member at the VII International Symposium on Cucurbits, ISHS (June 2023, Zhengzhou, Henan, China).