他從QTL初步定位，精細定位，QTL克隆逐步深入到QTL的分子機理剖析，在水稻產量遺傳基礎和分子生物學基礎解析方面做出了一定的成績：揭示了單位點QTL和互作是水稻產量性狀重要遺傳基礎，提出了水稻產量等復雜數量性狀也受主效基因/QTL控制的假說。構建了一系列主效QTL 的近等基因系，精細定位了多個產量相關QTL，圖位克隆了控制株高，開花期和每穗粒數的多效性基因Ghd7，Ghd8和Ghd7.1和粒型基因GS3，發現Ghd7，Ghd8和Ghd7.1不同效應的等位基因在自然界具有特定的地理分布特點。創建了基于高世代重組自交系內部表型變異構建近等基因系的新方法。參與克隆了正調控水稻種子大小、粒重和產量的基因GS5。Ghd7研究論文被評為2008年中國基礎研究 10大新聞，而GS5的克隆被評為2011年度“中國高等學校十大科技進展”。研究結果在Nat Genet，Annu Rev Plant Biol，PNAS，Cell Res，New Phytol, Mol Plant，PLoS ONE，Genetics，Theor Appl Genet，BMC Plant Biol，J Integr Plant Biol等國內外雜志上發表論文80余篇，被引用近2000次，以第1作者和通訊作者身份發表論文50余篇。

近6年代表性論文

1.Wenhao Yan, Haiyang Liu, Xiangchun Zhou, Qiuping Li, Jia Zhang, Li Lu, Touming Liu, Haijun Liu, Chengjun Zhang, Zhanyi Zhang, Guojing Shen, Wen Yao, Huaxia Chen, Sibin Yu, Weibo Xie, Yongzhong Xing (*). Natural variation in Ghd7.1 plays important roles in grain yield and adaptation in rice. Cell Res 2013, 23: 969-971.

2.Li Lu, Di Shao, Wenhao Yan, Xiangchun Zhou, Lin Yang, Yongzhong Xing (*).Natural variation and artificial selection in four genes determine grain shape in rice.New Phytologist2013,200: 1269-1280.

3.Touming Liu, Haiyang Liu, Huang Zhang, Yongzhong Xing (*). Validation and characterization of Ghd7.1, a major QTL with pleiotropic effectson spikelets per panicle, plant height, and heading date in rice (Oryza sativa L.). J Integr Plant Biol, 2013, 45: 36-41.

5.Bai xufeng, Wu Bi, Xing Yongzhong (*). Yield related QTLs and their applications in rice genetic improvement. J integrative plant biology. J Integr Plant Biol 2012, 54 (5): 300-311

6.Yibo Li, Chuchuan Fan, Yongzhong Xing, Yunhe Jiang, Lijun Luo, Liang Sun, Di Shao, Chunjue Xu, Xianghua Li, Jinghua Xiao, Yuqing He & Qifa ZhangNatural variation in GS5 plays an important role in regulating grain size and yield in rice. Nat Genet 2011 43, 1266-1269.

7.Mallikarjuna Rao Kovi, Yushan Zhang, Sibin Yu, Gaiyu Yang, Wenhao Yan, Yongzhong Xing (*) A Chitin-inducible gibberellin-responsive gene as the candidate of ph1 with an overwhelmed effect on plant height is closely linked to sd1 in rice (Oryza sativa L). Theor Appl Genet 2011 123: 705-714

8.Wenhao Yan, Peng Wang, Huaxia Chen, Hongju Zhou, Qiuping Li, Chongrong Wang, Zehong Ding, Yushan Zhang, Sibin Yu (*), Yongzhong Xing (*). A major QTL, Ghd8, plays pleiotropic roles in regulating grain productivity, plant height and heading date in rice. Mol Plant 2011 4:319-330

9.Dong-hai Mao, Hui-hui Yu, Tou-ming Liu, Gai-yu Yang, Yong-zhong Xing (*). Two complementary recessive genes in duplicated segments controlling rice etiolation. Theor Appl Genet, 2011, 122:373-383.

10.Yongzhong Xingand Qifa Zhang. Genetic and Molecular Bases of Rice Yield. Annu Rev Plant Biol, 2010, 61:421-42

11.Xufeng Bai, Lijun Luo, Wenhao Yan, Rao Mallikarjuna Kovi, Wei Zhan, and Yongzhong Xing (*). Genetic dissection of rice grain shape using a recombinant inbred line population derived from two contrasting parents and fine mapping of qGL7. BMC Genetics, 2010, 11:16

12.Liu Touming, Shao Di, Kovi Mallikarjuna Rao, Xing Yongzhong (*). Mapping and validation of QTL for spikelets per panicle and 1000-grain weight in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Theor Appl Genet, 2010, 120:933-942

13.Liu Touming, Mao Donghai, Zhang Shengpeng, Xu Caiguo, and Xing Yongzhong (*).Fine mapping SPP1, a QTL controlling the number of spikelet per panicle, to a BAC clone in rice (Oryza Sativa). Theor Appl Genet 2009, 118:1509-1517

14.Yushan Zhang, Lijun Luo, Touming Liu, Caiguo Xu, Yongzhong Xing (*). Four rice QTL controlling number of spikelets per panicle expressed the characteristics of single Mendelian gene in near isogenic backgrounds. Theor Appl Genet, 2009, 118:1035-1044.

15.Chuchuan Fan, Sibin Yu, Chongrong Wang, Yongzhong Xing (*).Acausal C-A mutation in the second exon of GS3 highly associated with ricegrain lengthand validated as a functional marker. Theor Appl Genet, 2009, 118:465-472

16.Weiya Xue, Yongzhong Xing (co-first), Xiaoyu Weng, Yu Zhao, Weijiang Tang, Lei Wang, Hongju Zhou, Sibin Yu, Caiguo Xu, Xianghua Li, Qifa Zhang. Natural variation in Ghd7 is an important regulator of heading date and yield potential in rice. Nat Genet, 2008, 40 (6): 761-767.

17.Yongzhong Xing(*), Weijiang Tang, Weiya Xue, Caiguo Xu and Qifa zhang. Fine mapping of a major quantitative trait loci, qSSP7, controlling number of spikelets per panicle as a single Mendelian factor in rice.Theor Appl Genet2008 116 (6): 789-796.

       近5年獲得國家發明專利4項

1.一種控制水稻谷粒粒寬和粒重的主效基因GS5的克隆與應用。發明人：何予卿，李一博，邢永忠，范楚川，張啟發。專利號：ZL201010188458.6。

2.控制水稻谷物產量，開花期及支柱高度的多效性基因Ghd8的克隆及應用。發明人：邢永忠，鄢文豪，余四斌，王鵬。專利號：ZL201010223042.3。

3.一種控制水稻谷粒產量，抽穗期和株高的多效性基因Ghd7的克隆及應用。發明人：邢永忠，張啟發，薛為亞。專利號：ZL200710053199.4。

4.一種控制水稻谷粒粒長和粒重的主效基因GS3。發明人：張啟發，范楚川，邢永忠。專利號：ZL200610018107.4。