Potato Science Research Institute unveiled, the first of its kind in the country
On September 21, the "Potato Science Research Institute," jointly established by Yunnan Normal University, the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Yunnan Yingmao Group Co., Ltd., was officially unveiled. It is reported that this institute is the first potato research institute in the country.
It is reported that the institute will actively explore "integration of science and education, and integration of production, learning and research," and through the important form of cooperation among the university, institute and enterprise, advance scientific and technological innovation and the transformation of achievements by the university and research institutes. This is an important measure of Yunnan Normal University's reform to establish a special zone for scientific research.
Background: Fruitful achievements in potato research
Potato research at Yunnan Normal University began in the 1970s. Over more than 40 years of research and development, it has gradually established its position and brand in the field of potato research.
In 1991, with the approval of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education, Yunnan Normal University established the Tuber Crops Research Institute. For a long time, it has mainly engaged in potato germplasm resource innovation, genetic breeding, seed potato propagation, physiology and cultivation, pathology and epidemiology research, as well as potato production technology improvement and training. It has undertaken more than 40 potato research projects funded by the International Cooperation Program, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Spark Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, major industry-specific programs of the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Quality Standards Program, and the Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Tackling Program. A series of achievements, including potato breeding resource innovation, the virus-free seed potato production technology system, the selection and breeding of a series of new varieties such as Cooperation 88, and integrated control research on late blight and potato wart disease, have been widely promoted and applied, generating enormous economic benefits and social impact, and driving the rapid development of potato research, production and industry in our province.
It led the formulation of China's standard for identification of new potato varieties (GB/T28660-2012) and participated in the revision of China's seed potato quality standard (GB18133-2013). Some achievements were recommended by the International Potato Center (CIP) and the Department of International Cooperation of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences as landmark achievements of China's 30 years of strategic cooperation with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). It successfully hosted or co-hosted a series of major professional academic events, including the "Second Asian Potato Association Congress (1988)," the "First China Potato Late Blight Control Symposium (1993)," and the "Fifth World Potato Congress (2004)."
In addition, through support from the Yunnan Provincial High-end Talent Introduction Program and the university's Distinguished Professor Program, it introduced Researcher Huang Sanwen, an international leading talent in the field of potato and vegetable crop genomics, and Dr. Peter VanderZaag, former chairman of the CIP Board of Trustees and recipient of the national "Friendship Award" and the Yunnan Provincial Government "Caiyun Award"; jointly established the "Potato Science Research Institute" with the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and others; and cooperatively launched the "Tetraploid Cultivated Potato (Cooperation 88) Genome Project" and the "Diploid Potato Hybrid Breeding Program." The related research results will transform the potato research and technology system from "tetraploid breeding - seed potato propagation" to "diploid hybrid breeding - seed propagation," bringing a "green revolution" to potato research and industrial development.
Positioning: Training specialized potato research talent
In early 2015, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Yunnan, he clearly required that Yunnan should strive to advance modern agriculture, build on the unique foundation of its diverse resources, play the card of highland characteristic agriculture well, and strive to build a "highland granary." Rao Wei, Party Secretary of Yunnan Normal University, said that the establishment of the Potato Science Research Institute is a thorough implementation of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, a positive response to the national food security guarantee and the potato staple food strategy, and an important measure for Yunnan Normal University to actively integrate into and serve the national and Yunnan development strategies.
According to the introduction, Yunnan Province is a traditional major potato-producing province and an advantageous development area for the industry in China, and potato is the third major grain crop in our province after rice and corn. In the past 10 years, the average planting area and total output of potatoes in our province have both exceeded 10 million (mu/tons), and the potato chip processing industry ranks among the top in the domestic industry. According to incomplete statistics, our province has so far selected, bred and approved more than 70 new potato varieties, accounting for about 1/5 of the nationally approved varieties.
At present, China is extremely short of talent engaged in potato research, technology development and industrialized development. As far as the national staple food strategy planting target is concerned, China's potato sowing area will expand from more than 80 million mu in recent years to 150 million mu, while China currently has fewer than 300 potato researchers with postgraduate degrees, and Yunnan Province has fewer than 30 for more than 10 million mu of potatoes. This shows the scarcity and importance of relevant professional talent.
Therefore, training professionals who serve China's potato research, technology development and industrial development needs not only reflects the function of universities in serving society, but is also a practical need for advancing the connotative and characteristic development of higher education in Yunnan Province.
Rao Wei said that after the next 5 years of development, the Potato Science Research Institute will be built into a professional institution for potato research and specialized talent training with distinctive characteristics and considerable influence at home and abroad; it will become the cradle for middle- and high-end talent training in China's potato research and industry, and a demonstration base for China's potato "production-learning-research integration"; it will become a research-and-teaching-oriented institution with important influence and driving force for national and Yunnan potato research and industrial development, and will strive to become a potato research center for the southwestern region, China and even the world, promoting the development of the potato discipline.
Significance: Breaking development bottlenecks in agriculture and promoting agricultural transformation and upgrading
"The state has included potatoes in its strategic deployment for national food security. The Ministry of Agriculture issued the 'Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Development of the Potato Industry' earlier this year, and Yunnan Province has natural advantages for planting and developing the potato industry." Fang Yiwen, Party Secretary of the Agricultural Genomics Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that potato breeding and cultivation is a traditional strength of Yunnan Normal University, with major influence and a very high position nationwide. "The establishment of the institute is precisely to transform natural advantages into economic advantages, realize standardized and large-scale potato production, and form a complete industrial chain."
Fang Yiwen stated that the institute is of great significance for safeguarding national food security, developing modern agriculture, basing itself on China's resource endowments and grain supply-demand situation, conforming to the general trend of upgrading residents' consumption, establishing a broad view of food, and developing food resources in all directions and through multiple channels. It is a beneficial exploration for breaking development bottlenecks in agriculture, advancing agricultural transformation and upgrading, leading green agricultural development, and driving farmers out of poverty and toward prosperity.
"The establishment of the Potato Science Research Institute fits the national food security guarantee, the potato staple food strategy and the Belt and Road development strategy, and conforms to Yunnan Province's highland granary construction, highland characteristic modern agricultural industry development plan and bridgehead development strategy; at the same time, it will further advance the modernization of the higher education governance system and governance capacity, and promote the development of higher education in Yunnan." Fang Yiwen said.