An annual review meeting on the research project under the title of “Screening & Assessment of Energy Plants & Core Technology for Large-Scale Plantation of the Physic Nut Tree” was held on December 11.  XTBG director Chen Jin, who’s also the principal investigator of the Project, deputy director Peng Daiping and officials of CAS Bureau of Life Sciences & Biotechnology listened to work reports of different sections.

 Through joint efforts by researchers over the past one year, progress has been made. The researchers have collected about 300 energy plant species; conducted component analyses on 100 varieties and primary assessment on the fat metabolism; made observations on growth characteristics and adversity resistance of the physic nut tree (Jatropha curcas L.) of different source regions. Furthermore, 5 high-yield plantation experiment fields have been set up. The geographical variations of Jatropha curcas L. were observed.

  Organized by XTBG, the project is to set up platforms for the studies of energy plants in central, southeast and southwest China by evaluating and protecting the rich plant germplasm resources housed in the CAS botanical gardens.