The country's first potato research institute was unveiled.

On September 21, the "Potato Science Research Institute" jointly established by Yunnan normal University, Shenzhen Agricultural Genome Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Yunnan Yingmao Group Co., Ltd. was officially unveiled. It is reported that the institute is the first potato research institute in the country.

It is reported that the academy will actively explore the "integration of science and education and the integration of industry, university and research," and promote scientific and technological innovation and achievements transformation by schools and scientific research institutes through important forms of cooperation among schools, academies, and enterprises. it is an important measure for Yunnan normal University to carry out the reform of the scientific research zone.

Tracing back to the Source: fruitful achievements in Potato Research

The potato research work of Yunnan normal University began in the 1970s. In the course of more than 40 years of research and development, the status and brand in the field of potato research have been gradually formed.

In 1991, with the approval of Yunnan Provincial Department of Education, Yunnan normal University established the Institute of Potato crops. For a long time, it has been mainly engaged in potato germplasm resources innovation, genetics and breeding, improved variety breeding, physiology and cultivation, pathology and epidemiology research, and potato production technology improvement and training. It has undertaken more than 40 potato research projects supported by the International Cooperation Program, the National Natural Science Foundation, the Spark Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Major Industry Project of the Ministry of Agriculture, the National quality Standards Plan and the Science and Technology Research Program of Yunnan Province. A series of achievements, such as the innovation of potato breeding resources, the technical system of virus-free seed potato production, the breeding of a series of new varieties such as Cooperative 88, and the research on integrated control of late blight and cancer have been popularized and applied on a large scale. it has produced huge economic benefits and social impact, and promoted the rapid development of potato research, production and industry in our province.

Presided over the formulation of Chinese New Potato Variety Identification Standard (GB/T28660-2012) and participated in the revision of Chinese Potato seed Potato quality Standard (GB18133-2013). Some of the achievements have been recommended by the International Potato Center (CIP) and the Bureau of International Cooperation of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences as landmark achievements in the past 30 years of strategic cooperation between China and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Successfully hosted or participated in a series of large-scale professional academic activities such as the second Asian Potato academic Congress (1988), the first China Potato late Blight Prevention and Control Symposium (1993) and the Fifth World Potato Congress (2004).

In addition, with the support of Yunnan Provincial High-end Talent introduction Program and School Distinguished Professor Program, Huang Sanwen, an international leader in the field of potato and vegetable crop genomics, and Dr. PeterVanderZaag, former chairman of the CIP Council, national "Friendship Award" and winner of the Yunnan Provincial Government's "Caiyun Award", have been introduced into the Potato Science Research Institute in conjunction with Shenzhen Agricultural Genome Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The "tetraploid Potato cultivated species (Cooperative 88) Genome Project" and the "diploid Potato Hybrid breeding Project" were launched cooperatively. The related research results will change the potato research technology system from "tetraploid breeding-seed potato reproduction" to "diploid hybrid breeding-seed reproduction", which will bring "green revolution" to potato research and industrial development.

Orientation: training potato research professionals

In early 2015, during his inspection tour of Yunnan, General Secretary Xi Jinping made it clear that Yunnan should focus on promoting the construction of modern agriculture, based on the unique basis of diversity of resources, play the card of agriculture with plateau characteristics, and strive to build a "plateau granary." Rao Wei, secretary of the party committee of Yunnan normal University, said that the establishment of the Potato Science Research Institute is an in-depth implementation of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech and a positive response to the national food security and potato staple food strategy. it is an important measure for Yunnan normal University to actively integrate into and serve the national and Yunnan development strategy.

According to reports, Yunnan Province is a traditional potato production province and industrial advantage development area in China, and it is the third major food 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 exceeded 10 million (mu / ton), and the potato chip processing industry is in the forefront of domestic counterparts. According to incomplete statistics, more than 70 new potato varieties have been selected and approved in our province so far, accounting for about 5% of the national approved varieties.

At present, our country is extremely short of talents engaged in potato research, technology development and industrialization development. As far as the strategic planting goal of national staple grain is concerned, the sown area of potato in China will grow from more than 80 million mu in recent years to 150 million mu. At present, there are less than 300 potato researchers with postgraduate degrees in China. Yunnan Province, more than 10 million mu of potatoes less than 30 people, which shows the shortage and importance of relevant professionals.

Therefore, training professionals who serve the needs of potato research, technology development and industrial development in China not only reflects the function of colleges and universities to serve the society, but also the actual need to promote the development of connotation and characteristics of higher education in Yunnan Province.

Rao Wei said that after the construction in the next five years, the Potato Research Institute will become a professional institution for potato research and specialized personnel training with distinctive characteristics and great influence at home and abroad. It has become the cradle of Chinese potato research and high-end personnel training in the industry, and the demonstration base of "industry-university-research integration" of Chinese potato. It has become a research and teaching institution with important influence and driving force on potato research and industrial development in the country and Yunnan Province, and strive to build a potato research center in southwest China and even the world, so as to promote the development of potato discipline.

Significance: break the bottleneck of agricultural development and promote the transformation and upgrading of agriculture

"the state has included potatoes in the strategic plan of national food security, and the Ministry of Agriculture issued the guidance on promoting the Development of Potato Industry at the beginning of this year. Yunnan Province has the natural advantage of planting and developing potato industry." Fang Yiwen, secretary of the party committee of the Agricultural Genome Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that potato breeding and cultivation is the traditional advantage of Yunnan normal University and has great influence and high status in the country. "the establishment of the Research Institute is to transform natural advantages into economic advantages, to achieve standardization and large-scale production of potatoes, and to form a complete industrial chain."

Fang Yiwen said that in order to ensure national food security, develop modern agriculture, be based on China's resource endowment and the situation of food supply and demand, conform to the general trend of upgrading residents' consumption, and establish a big food concept, it is of great significance to develop food resources in all directions and in many ways. it is a useful exploration to break the bottleneck of agricultural development, promote agricultural transformation and upgrading, lead agricultural green development, and drive farmers to shake off poverty and become rich.

"the establishment of the Potato Science Research Institute is in line with the national food security, potato staple grain and Belt and Road Initiative development strategy, and in line with the Yunnan plateau granary construction, plateau characteristic modern agricultural industry development plan and bridgehead development strategy; at the same time, it will further promote the modernization of higher education governance system and governance capacity, and promote the development of higher education in Yunnan." Fang Yiwen said.