The National Tropical Crops Conference was successfully held in Guiyang on November 12th-15th, 2017. Professor Peng Zhang and Associate Professor Hongxia Wang attended the event.

The well-known academicians and experts were invited to give several presentations on the conference. Prof. Zhang reported the recent progress on cassava starch biosynthesis entitled “Regulation of starch biosynthesis in storage roots of cassava through protein-protein interaction and enzyme activity mechanism”. The presentation showed the interaction mode and enzyme complex regulation between key enzymes of starch synthesis in cassava. In addition, the study found that, difference from other crops, the key enzyme SSII in cassava doesn’t show enzymatic activity but affects the activity of other starch biosynthetic enzymes, showing a key role in the regulation of starch biosynthesis through protein-protein interactions. Assoc. Prof. Wang exchanged and discussed with other attendees on topics of anthocyanin biosynthesis, storage root development, etc. The exchange strengthens multiple collaborations with other research teams.

On November 14th, committee members of Chinese Society of Tropical Root and Tuber Crop were reelected. Prof. Zhang was unanimously elected as Deputy Director of the committee again.