The Assembly meeting of National Technological System of Cassava Industrialization (NTSCI), followed by the 3rd Symposium on Cassava Biotechnology & Functional Genomics (SCBFG) was held at Rayfont Shanghai Xuhui Hotel from October 9 to 12, 2009. The meeting was organized by the Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, CAS. More than 70 cassava researchers, including senior scientists, agents from different research laboratories and stations, participated in this important event. Prof. Peng Zhang chaired the meeting, and Prof. Yong-Ping Huang, the Deputy Director of SIPPE, presented on the meeting. He warmly welcomed all the cassava researchers who attended the meeting and introduced the research activities, institutional organization and management of SIPPE. He expected that cassava industrialization would have a bright future promoted by NTSCI in the areas of research and development.

During the meeting, participants discussed the innovative findings, suggestions and solutions to problems encountered during the mid-term of this year. Prof. Kai-Mian Li, the Principle Investigator of NTSCI, conveyed the key information of Chengdu meeting organized by the MOA. Participants also discussed the issues related to the recruitment of new members based on the frame work of NTSCI. Senior scientists and agents also presented their recent findings and work progresses.

In the 3rd SCBFG, participants discussed various aspects of cassava research, including tissue culture, transgenesis, stress and development, starch biosynthesis and functional genomics. Keynote speaker Prof. Hong-Xia Zhang presented studies on stress resistance in plants. Prof. Kai-Mian Li gave a summary speech and pointed out that the seminar would facilitate the NTSCI development.

After the meeting, some cassava scientists and station agents, accompanied by Prof. Peng Zhang, visited Shanghai Center for Cassava Biotechnology and the SIPPE greenhouse.