1. Introduction of SMHRC
The Southern Medicine and Health Research Center (SMHRC) was established in 2003. The SMHRC consists of five provincial and ministerial platforms: Danzhou Germplasm Resource Nursery of Tropical Medicinal Plants of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Key Laboratory of Biology and Cultivation of Herb Medicine (Haikou), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Tropical medicinal plants, etc. At present, the SMHRC has 34 members (including 14 scientific research assistants), among which 11 members have senior professional titles and 7 members have doctoral degrees. There was one expert who enjoys the State Council Special Allowance. He was also the Hainan outstanding expert with outstanding contributions, Hainan excellent scientific and technological worker and advanced worker. The SMHRC has two Hainan Leading Talents, and four Hainan "South China Sea Masters" youth scholars. During the period of the 13th Five-Year Plan, the SMHRC won one grand prize of Hainan natural science award, one first prize and one second prize of Hainan science and technology progress award, with an additional project funding of 32.4 million yuan have been approved, 139 papers published, 52 patents granted, 5 monographs published, one industry standard formulated, two national approved varieties, and 77 health products developed from southern medicine plants.
2. Team of SMHRC
The SMHRC Director was Dr. Yu Fu-lai, the Deputy Director were Ms. Wang Mao-yuan and Mr. Wang Qing-long. The Lead scientist researcher was Professor Wang Zhu-nian. The SMHRC consists of three research groups: (ⅰ)the research group on germplasm resources and breeding of new varieties of southern medicine, (ⅱ)the research group on Good Agricultural Practices of southern medicine, and (ⅲ)the research group on research and development of health products of southern medicine, respectively.
3. Orientation of SMHRC
The SMHRC purpose is to adhere to the people's life and health, focus on building a first-class southern medicine R&D center, and focus on the study of southern medicine germplasm resources and new varieties breeding, standardized production of southern medicine GAP, and southern medicine research and development of health products. The SMHRC is undertaking more than 30 projects with an ongoing research fund of nearly 8 million yuan. The projects include the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Species Resources protection project of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hainan Major Science and Technology Project, Hainan key Research and development project, and the entrusted development projects by enterprises.
4. Research progress
1. The SMHRC has built the largest germplasm resource nursery of tropical medicinal plants in China, with 3500 species of living germplasm resources were conserved in this resource nursery, and built a technical system for the safe preservation of medicinal plants, which is supported by the germplasm nursery, in vitro plant germplasm bank and herbarium.
2. The SMHRC has bred the world's first new variety of Alpinia oxyphylla Fructus, obtained two authorized certificates of new varieties based on the first new variety, solved the shortage of varieties in the initial stage of industrial development, and technically supported the enterprise to establish the first south medicine (Callicarpa nudiflora Hook. et Arn.) GAP standardization production traceability system in Hainan province, and has promoted in the planting of more than 4000 hectares south medicine such as Alpinia oxyphylla, Alpinia katsumadai, and Callicarpa nudiflora, etc.
3. The SMHRC has developed and sold a total of 45 southern medicine deep processing products, such as the Blumea balsamifera series of cosmeceuticals, Alpinia oxyphylla, Millettia speciosa and Morinda citrifolia series of healthy food, etc. The SMHRC has won 7 excellent product awards at China International High-tech Fair, and 4 achievement transformation awards of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS). By completing the above work, the SMHRC has initially promoted the improvement of the whole industrial chain of herbal medicine in South China.
