Agricultural heritage systems are traditional production methods that contain rich cultural imagery and connotations and have cultural factors that distinguish them from other cultural landscapes across generations, namely, cultural landscapes’ genes. Protecting agricultural heritage systems has strategic signifi cance for human survival and development. By summarizing relevant literature, introducing the research methods of traditional settlement cultural landscapes (TSCLG), analyzing the similarities and diff erences between agricultural heritage systems and traditional settlements, and proposing the classifi cation, identifi cation methods, and indicator system for agricultural heritage systems’ landscape characteristics. Taking the Qidong sandy polder agricultural system as an example, the importance of landscape genes was ranked, and the status quo was comprehensively evaluated to identify key genes. The landscape gene implantation method was applied to protect and promote cultural landscapes in heritage sites, providing a new path for the protection and research of agricultural heritage systems.