On October 9, a panel of 13 experts came to XTBG to have onsite assessment of the CAS-level key laboratory – Key laboratory of tropical plant resource and sustainable use, which was proposed by XTBG. The expert panel was formed by 13 senior experts coming from Bureau of Life Sciences & Biotechnology and some institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Prof. XU Zengfu, director of the Lab, made a work report concerning research orientations, achievements, team building, talent development scheme, cooperation programs, research facilities, and running management to the expert panel.

Four academic reports on “breeding of high-quality physic nut trees (Jatropha curcas L)”, “biofuel and biorefinery”, “chemical components of ethnic medicinal plants and resource development”, “key technologies of industrialization on Inca peanut (Plukenetia volubilis L.)”, and “nutrition immunology and functional foods” were made by related scientists.

Listening to reports

After listening to the reports, the experts inquired about the operation situation of lab in details and did the on-spot investigation. They visited the laboratories, germplasm repository, breeding test field and cultivation base. They also had a comprehensive evaluation by consulting documents, records, reports, equipment files, and personnel files.

Consulting documents

Checking equipment and equipment files

 After an all-around discussion, the expert panel made a final appraisal and gave suggestions for the development of the lab.

At the cultivation base of Inca peanut (Plukenetia volubilis L.)

Group photo of panel experts and XTBG scientists