Prof. Ming Peng, Director of the Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology and Principle Investigator of the 973 Program supported project “Fundamental study on breeding improvement of the important tropical crop cassava”, together with Dr. bin Li from Monsanto, visited SCCB on Nov. 21, 2009. During the visit, Prof. Peng Zhang and Prof. Ming Peng exchanged their views on current cassava research and made intensive discussion on how to carry out the 973 project, which is a five-year term grant for RMB 28 million. As the key scientist of the project, Prof. Peng Zhang is in charge of Sub-Project 5 “Analysis and Functional Verification of Key Cassava Genes”. The visit will ensure the smooth running of 973 project and synergize both efforts in Haikou and Shanghai.