1. Introduction

Cassava Research Center (CRC) is a professional team, engaged in the cassava germplasm collection, preservation, identification, evaluation, genome, proteome, and biological breeding, focused on nutrition regulation, efficient cultivation, postharvest treatment, food processing and comprehensive utilization, not only on the technologies, but also for the promotion and application. CRC has National Cassava Germplasm Repository, National R&D Centre For Patato Processing, Key laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for Cassava Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, China-Nigeria Cassava Center, CATAS-EMBRAPA Proteomics Joint Laboratory, and other National, Provincial and Ministerial platforms.

CRC sets up three research teams, including root and tuber germplasm resources and new variety breeding, cassava cultivation and cassava processing and comprehensive utilization. CRC has 26 members (including 2 distinguished professors), 15 senior professional titles, in which there are 2 second-level posts, 1 third-level post, 2 fourth-level posts, 2 ph. D supervisors and 6 master supervisors. CRC has 1 expert in the National Millions of Talents Project, 1 Principal Scientist, 3 Post Scientists 1 Experimental Stationmaster in Chinese Cassava Agro-technology Research System, 1 Principal Scientist of National Key R&D Program of China, and 2 Outstanding Talents of Hainan Province.

2. Research teams of CRC

Director

Professor OU Wenjun

Vice Director

Associate Professor CAI Jie and associate Professor LU Xiaojing

Professor CHEN Songbi, Team leader of root and tuber germplasm resources and new variety breeding

Team members: LI Kaimian, YE Jianqiu, CAI Jie, AN Feifei, WANG Ming, ZHU Wenli, LIU Di, XUE Jingjing, LUO Xiuqin, XIAO Xinhui, ZHANG Jie, WEI Zhuowen, XUE Maofu

Professor HUANG Jie, Team leader of cassava cultivation

Team members: OU Wenjun, LU Xiaojing, WEI Yunxia, HE Cuicui, YU Shan

Professor ZHANG Zhenwen, Team leader of cassava processing and comprehensive utilization

Team members: WANG Qinfei, LIN Liming, YU Houmei

3. Orientation of CRC

In order to focus on the requirements of National Cassava Industry, CRC pays more attention on cassava germplasm collection and preservation, archive database construction, identification and evaluation, genome, proteome, and biological breeding; carry out the cassava cultivation technology of high yield, high quality, save cost, high efficiency and benefit for improved variety, there are balance fertilization, coupling effect of water and fertilizer, resistant drought planting, intercropping model, whole mechanized production combining with agronomy and agricultural machinery; perform on the key technologies of roots storage, leaf and stem comprehensive utilization and cassava flour food. Especially on international cooperation and exchanges, aiming to build a world-class cassava research platform in hotspots, providing high-quality varieties and technical support for serving the "rural revitalization" strategy and the "Belt and Road" initiative. We will continue to fulfil the goal of cassava on "effective supplement for food and feed supply, and function for the Belt and Road Initiative ".

4. Recent Research Progress of CRC

(1) Established an accurate evaluation model of cassava germplasm quality phenotype, explored germplasm resources with high-quality and stress-resistance, provided excellent backbone parents for cassava breeding.

(2) Important agronomic traits of cassava have been systematically identified and evaluated. Excellent parents have been screened. A new variety named South China 15, having independent intellectual property rights, has been cultivated.

(3) Unveiled the evolution and functional differentiation of cassava haplotype genome, and the results were published on “Molecular Plant” (IF: 21.949).

(4) Genome wide variation were mapped for 388 cassava germplasm, and the genetic mechanism of population level heterozygosity variation affecting important agronomic traits of cassava was clarified. The results were published on “Genome Biology” (IF : 17.906).

(5) Systematically studied the structural characteristics of cassava bHLH transcription factor family and its function on postharvest physiological deterioration and cyanogenic glycosides biosynthesis. The results were published on “Frontiers in Plant Science” (IF 6.627).

(6) Analysis of the change of microbial diversity and community structure in cassava rhizosphere soil under different fertilization, and provided theoretical reference for decreasing fertilizer and quality improvement, the results were published on “Frontiers in Microbiology” (IF 5.60).

(7) We found that the roots interaction between cassava and maize were weak competition, recommend the intercropping model of wide-narrow row cassava intercropping 2 rows maize. Research on the influence of different stake layouts on cassava fresh root yield and storage root configuration, harvesting width and depth were suggested for the double rows harvesting machine among narrow rows.

(8) Published three industrial standards in National Energy Administration, inclusing “Technical specification for cassava mechanize platning”, “Technical regulations for energy cassava production” and “Technical code of practice of storage and treatment for cassava stem”.

(9) Published two books “Intercropping and High Benefit Utilization of cassava” and “Nutrition and Fertilization Research with Practice on Cassava”.

(10) Metabolomics was used to analyse the mechanism of postharvest storage in edible cassava during the ice-temperature, the results were published in “Science and Technology of Food Industry” in Chinese.

(11) The comprehensive and high value utilization of cassava by-products were carried out using metabolomics and other chromatographic techniques, which including isolated and purified the antioxidant peptides and a number of functional flavonols from cassava leaves. This study provided technical support for the substromal and high-value utilization of cassava by-products. The related results have been published in “Food Science” and “Technology of Food Industry” in Chinese, and one National Standard and one industrial standard have been released.

(12) Constructed five sets of accurate identification and analysis methods for important nutritional qualities and functional substances such as cassava cyanogen glycosides, carotenoids and flavonols, which provide technical support for nutritional quality evaluation of cassava and its processed products. Part of the results were published jointly in “Food Chemistry” (IF: 9.231), and then formulated a National Standard.