Slovak Experts Visited the Apiculture Research Institute in China's Jilin Province
16.06.2025
From May 25 to June 6, representatives of the Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra undertook their first official visit to China’s Jilin Province. The aim of the visit was to strengthen cooperation in the protection and utilization of Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica) genetic resources. The Slovak delegation consisted of Prof. Ing. Radovan Kasarda, PhD., Vice-Dean for International Relations and Practice, and Assoc. Prof. Ing. Róbert Chlebo, PhD., an expert in beekeeping and beneficial insects.
The program began in Beijing, where the experts visited the Department of Entomology at China Agricultural University. The visit included professional discussions, a tour of laboratories, and the insect museum. The main part of the visit took place in the city of Jilin, home to the Beekeeping Research Institute – the central gene bank for honey bees in continental China.
During an international seminar, the Slovak representatives introduced the work of the faculty and SPU institutes focused on the genetic diversity of animal resources. Chinese partners presented current research projects aimed at improving pollination efficiency, bee breeding using biotechnologies, and the significance of royal jelly in medicine. The highlight of the meeting was the signing of a draft agreement on scientific cooperation between the Beekeeping Research Institute in Jilin and the Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources at SPU in Nitra.
The delegation also visited specialized laboratories focused on genomics, proteomics, artificial insemination, Bee World museum and bumblebee reproduction facility. The program included a tour of six breeding stations preserving original bee lines, as well as commercial farms for honey production and greenhouse pollination.
The visit also had a cultural and social dimension – participants explored local specialties, traditions, and met students actively involved in research. A reciprocal visit of the Chinese delegation to Slovakia is expected in 2026, continuing the promising development of this international collaboration.
