Farmers harvest cabbage in Jiayu county, Xianning city, Hubei province. [Photo by Lu Jian/for chinadaily.com.cn]

    In response, a team led by Fang Zhiyuan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Hubei Jinrun Agriculture Development Co Ltd, contributed to the birth of the self-cultivated cabbage seed Sitedan in 2013. Five years later, the locally bred seed stood out, contributing to China's self-dependence on seed growth.

    This new seed variety suits the Yangtze River's climate for its resistance to frost and cracking, with a harvesting period that extends into February. These features have earned fame in domestic and foreign markets.