Golden autumn rice waves are set to ripple across northern Guangxi as the region prepares for its annual seed industry highlight.
The 23rd Guangxi "Field Selection" (Northern Guangxi) event will officially kick off at 9:30 AM on September 4th at the National Crop Variety Display and Evaluation Base in Shaoshui Town, Quanzhou County.
Agricultural experts, seed enterprise representatives, distributors, and major planting households from across the region will gather in the fields to evaluate superior varieties and celebrate the harvest season.
718 Varieties from 91 Units Compete Side by Side
Walking into the base, continuous rice paddies spread out like golden carpets, with different rice varieties showcasing their unique strengths—some bending low with heavy panicles and outstanding yields, others featuring sturdy stems with exceptional lodging resistance.
In the corn display area, rows of uniform cobs stand ready for inspection.
This year, the base is showcasing 718 crop varieties from 91 units or individuals, with the core demonstration zone centrally displaying 581 varieties of rice, corn, and soybeans.
Rice varieties total 412, spanning eight display zones including early-maturing, mid-maturing, mid-late maturing, late-maturing, conventional rice, rice-noodle rice, low-cadmium-accumulating rice, and water-saving drought-resistant rice.
Corn varieties number 159, divided into two major sections: conventional corn and fresh sweet-waxy corn.
An additional 10 varieties are featured in the soybean-corn strip intercropping demonstration.
Both the scale of participation and the number of varieties have reached new record highs.
Why You Must See the Fields in Person
A seed's quality cannot be judged by data alone—it must be seen growing in the field. This is the simplest truth that has guided "Field Selection" for over two decades.
The core logic is straightforward: plant different varieties in the same plot, with identical soil and management conditions, letting them compete under equal terms.
Which variety shows stronger disease resistance, which yields higher, which produces better grain quality—all becomes clear at a glance from the ridge.
For major grain growers, choosing the wrong variety could mean a wasted year of effort; for seed enterprises, superior varieties must prove themselves in real field conditions.
"Field Selection" addresses precisely the last-mile gap between breeding achievements and production application—the critical distance between variety and land.
From a Single Seed to Vast Productive Fields
Since arriving in Guilin in 2006, "Field Selection" (Northern Guangxi) has continued for more than two decades.
In 2021, the base was designated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs as a "National Crop Variety Display and Evaluation Base"—the only nationally recognized crop variety evaluation base at the municipal level in Guangxi.
The numbers attest to the platform's depth: to date, the base has cumulatively displayed 13,657 crop varieties including rice and corn, with 655 new varieties receiving key recommendations.
Among rice varieties registered and sold in Guilin, 83% have appeared at "Field Selection" (Northern Guangxi), and 30% received recommendations from the organizing committee.
The city's variety renewal cycle has shortened from five years to three.
In 2025, Guilin's grain sowing area reached 5.1278 million mu, with total output of 1.8044 million tons, ranking second in the region.
Some 180,000 people have participated through online and offline channels—behind these figures are countless farming households who found the right seeds through the simple act of "looking and comparing" from the field ridge.
Three New Highlights This Year
This year's event builds on past strengths while presenting three major new features.
Technology integration has deepened. Smart monitoring, automated weather recording, and soil moisture detection equipment are now fully deployed across the base, raising field management and green pest control standards. Explorations into "AI + agriculture" are quietly unfolding here.
Industry alignment has strengthened. The event features 11 field variety display zones covering different rice maturity groups, conventional rice, rice-noodle rice, low-cadmium-accumulating rice, water-saving drought-resistant rice, soybean-corn strip intercropping, and corn. The rice-noodle rice zone presents 6 varieties specifically serving the raw material needs of Guilin's rice noodle industry; the low-cadmium rice zone features 12 varieties, and the water-saving drought-resistant zone 14 varieties, precisely addressing food security and ecological planting requirements. During the past winter and spring, tracking evaluations of 31 rapeseed varieties were also initiated, paving the way for rice-oil rotation systems.
Enterprise participation has expanded. Some 91 seed enterprises from inside and outside the region are exhibiting, occupying 21 booths. Leading seed companies are deeply involved in field design, layout, management, and on-site event planning, making the event more grounded and market-responsive.
See You in Quanzhou on September 4th
At 9:30 AM on September 4th, the 23rd Guangxi "Field Selection" (Northern Guangxi) event will officially open.
Experts will announce comprehensive evaluation results for displayed rice and corn varieties on site.
Whether you are a seed industry professional, an agricultural technology extension worker, or a major grower seeking the best variety for next year, this field is worth your visit.
Quality seeds in the field, abundant harvest on the horizon. September 4th, we'll see you in Quanzhou.
Venue: Quanzhou County Crop Variety Research Institute
Live streaming will be available simultaneously via the Guilin Evening News video channel and the Guilin Daily Media Douyin account.
Want to fully understand seed industry revitalization, food security, and the relationship between seed industry security and national security?
Tune into the livestream from 9:30-11:30 AM on September 4th to experience the scent of rice with our hosts.
Don't miss it—we'll be waiting for you.