On October 21, 2020, deputy director FANG Yunting and deputy director ZHUO Junchen of the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with Han Ying, general manager of Inner Mongolia Duorina Selenium-Tech Biotechnology Co., Ltd. visited Academician DING Dewen in Dalian and held a working symposium. Prof. LI Peijun, Prof. GONG Zongqiang, Associate Prof. JIA Chunyun, Chief Engineer Li Wenshuan and deputy general manager Sun Xinping from Dourina Co., Ltd. attended the symposium.  

Prof. LI Peijun gave a report on the theory and recent development of Functional Agriculture, and stressed the importance of developing Functional Agriculture in light of China's agricultural development plans. He said that the selenium-enriched functional agriculture has made great progress in recent years, and the academician workstation has high advantages in this research field. He also pointed out the work that needs to be done urgently in the near future. Prof. GONG Zongqiang gave a report on detailed plans of the research and development of selenium-enriched agricultural products. He discussed the challenges faced by Inner Mongolia's agricultural development, and put forward feasible approaches to develop, demonstrate and industrialise selenium-enriched agricultural products. He highlighted the "Science and Technology Prospers Inner Mongolia" Initiative launched by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Government in 2020, as well as the ideas and ways of applying for granted projects in terms of selenium-enriched agricultural products R&D. Chief Engineer Li Wenshuan made a report on the main work done by the academician workstation in the past year, including the progress of scientific research, the construction of the experimental & demonstration area, as well as the work plan for the next year. Afterwards, the participants had an in-depth discussion on the strategy of developing selenium-enriched functional agriculture. 

DING Dewen expressed full recognition of the achievements made by the academician workstation (i.e., the "Ordos Oriental Co., Ltd. Agro-pastoral Ecotone Functional Agriculture Key Technology R&D Academician Expert Workstation") in the development of selenium-enriched functional agriculture. He suggested integrating the existing demonstration sites, expanding the scale of demonstration, and promoting the technology with the aid of the research platforms of IAE. He suggested strengthening the research on the transmission and transformation of selenium in plants as well as the mechanism of selenium enrichment; strengthening the research on the impact of selenium-enriched agricultural products on human health and the research on human daily intake standard for selenium. He also suggested fully clarifying the function of selenium in plants, animals and human as well as the underlying mechanisms. He also stressed the need to provide technical guidance and standardised operating procedures for spraying foliar fertilisers in response to the needs of local agricultural development. Academician DING's suggestions are of great significance for the future research of selenium-enriched functional agriculture, as well as the strategic layout, work focus and long-term development of the Academician Expert Workstations. 

Finally, Fang Yunxuan put forward constructive comments on the working progress of the selenium-enriched functional agriculture project, and said that IAE would attach great importance to this project, providing the required equipment for scientific research such as the testing of the quality of selenium-enriched agricultural products in IAE's Agricultural Product Safety and Environmental Quality Testing Centre. Zhuo Junchen provided valuable suggestions on grant applications and said that he would incorporate this project into IAE's future development plan and give high-priority support. Han Ying said that Duorina Selenium-Tech Biotechnology Co., Ltd would follow the guidance and suggestions of Academician DING, and do a good job in research and development of the products and the national-wide promotion of Agro-pastoral Ecotone Functional Agriculture with the aid of the academician workstation and IAE, CAS.