From February 27th to 29th, Professor Peng Zhang was invited to attend the 12th annual Starch Value Chain Asian Summit held in Vientiane, Laos, and gave a presentation entitled "Development of waxy and high-amylose cassava for industrial applications" to report the progress of starch improvement using genome editing technology.

The highly anticipated event, endorsed by esteemed supporters, USDA and Winrock International plus sponsors, Thai Wah PLC and Larsson, will bring together industry leaders, experts, and entrepreneurs for a comprehensive exploration of sustainable growth, innovation, and partnerships in the starch value chain.

During the meeting, the participants visited the Cassava Stem Seed Rapid Propagation Center of the National Institute of Agriculture and Forestry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, which is a cassava R&D project jointly established by the Bioversity-CIAT Alliance in Laos, mainly to carry out cassava pathogen control and seedling propagation technology. The participants then visited KT Agricultural Development Tapioca Processing Factory to learn about the current cassava cultivation and processing situation in Laos.

This meeting not only publicized the achievements of genetic improvement of cassava starch quality in China, but also understood the current situation and development trend of cassava industry in Laos and other Southeast Asian countries, and promoted the cooperation and exchange of cassava industry science and technology along the Belt and Road.