Dr. Rui Dong received the B.Sc. degree from Gansu Agricultural University, in 2007, the M.Sc. degree from Xinjiang Agricultural University, in 2013, and the Ph.D. degree from Lanzhou University, in 2017. From 2023 to 2024, he was a Visiting Scholar at Massey University, New Zealand. He is an Associate Professor at Guizhou University. His research interests mainly focus on evaluation and breeding of grass germplasm resources. Dr. Dong’s research primarily focuses on the evaluation and utilization of forage germplasm resources, with particular emphasis on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa L.). His work addresses abiotic stress tolerance (aluminum toxicity, phosphorus deficiency, cold, salinity/alkalinity), seed and pod shattering mechanisms, and breeding strategies for high-yield, stress-resilient cultivars. He has led multiple national and provincial research projects, including projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the National Key Research and Development Program. Dr. Dong is a member of the Chinese Grassland Society and actively participates in various international collaborations. He has published more than 25 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals such as Agronomy, Frontiers in Plant Science, Environmental and Experimental Botany, and Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, and frequently serves as a reviewer for journals in Plant Soil, and Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution.