Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Research Institute (TCGRRI), Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) is a national research institution. TCGRRI was formerly known as Tropical Crops Cultivation Institute (TCCI) under South China Academy of Tropical Crops established in 1958. In 1994, the Crops Research Lab and the Tropical Forages Lab were separated from TCCI and formed Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (ITAAH). In the same year TCCI was renamed as Tropical Horticulture Institute (THI). In 2002, TCGRRI was formed by an amalgamation of ITAAH and THI in response to increasing concerns for plant genetic resources.
TCGRRI has 178 staff presently, of which 64 are senior scientists. TCGRRI consists of 10 research labs, namely, Germplasm Propagation and Conservation, Germplasm Resources of Tropical Crops, Tropical Pasture, Cassava, Animal Science, Tropical Fruits, Tropical flowers, Tropical Vegetables, Tropical Medicinal Herbs and Tropical Rice.
2. Contact Information
Research Office Tel: +86-898-23300370
Fax: +86-898-23300440
Email: 23300370@163.com
Address: Baodao Xincun, Danzhou, Hainan, 571737, P. R. China
3. Research Areas
With the mandates of serving the tropical and south subtropical areas in China, TCGRRI undertakes applied basic, integrated, strategic and perspective researches on conservation, identification, evaluation and utilization of plant and animal genetic resources mainly from the tropical and subtropical areas of China as well as of the whole world. So far four MOA germplasm banks, including tropical forages, cassava, mango and tropical subtropical medicinal herbs and a tropical botanical garden in Danzhou, have been set up, and another three germplasm banks including tropical fruit trees, tropical vegetables, and tropical flowers are under construction. Some 20,000 accessions of tropical crops and 3000 accessions of tropical poultry and livestock have been collected and conserved in very good condition within the germplasm banks. A mid-term conservation bank in low temperature and an in vitro conservation bank which cover an area of over 600m2 with a containing capacity of more than 100,000 accessions of tropical crop seeds are the first one in tropical China and have been providing services already. TCGRRI has set up Trial Stations in Dehong of Yunnan Province, Wuming of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Panzhihua of Sichuan Province and Changjiang of Hainan Province serving as demonstration windows on its research achievements, and as permanent regional and pilot trial locations as well as close links with the local governments and farmers.
TCGRRI possesses 2 MOA Key Laboratories, 1 Provincial Key Open Laboratories, 2 National and 3 Provincial/Ministerial Engineering Research Centers, 2 Ministerial Testing Centers and a “110” Service Station for agricultural technology extension . TCGRRI has a Postdoctoral Workstation, and is a Joint-training bases for postgraduates of Hainan University, Huazhong Agricultural University and Guangdong Pharmaceutical University. There are 4 international platforms including China-The Republic of Congo Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre and China-Nigeria Cassava Centre, etc. TCGRI has conducted long-term and stable academic exchange and cooperation with more than 20 international organizations, universities, and research institutions in 14 countries, such as CIAT, EMBRAPA, IITA and Kasetsart University of Thailand, etc.
4. Main Achievements
TCGRRI was ranked the twelfth in the Comprehensive Strength Evaluation Exercise among over 1000 Chinese Agricultural Institutions from 2002 to 2012, namely “The Tenth Five Year Plan” and “The Eleventh Five Year Plan” periods. TCGRRI has collected about 1300 accessions of different kinds of tropical forages, more than 200 accessions of cassava. Besides, the tropical crop germplasms affiliated to TCGRRI contain 5000 varieties in more than 1600 species in over 720 genera within 190 families, including tropical cash crops, tropical fruit trees, vegetables, medicinal plants, tropical spice crops, tropical trees of economic value, tropical woody oil plants, palms, tropical ornamental plants and flowers. Some 183 research achievements have been made, including 89 National, Provincial/Ministerial awards, with 2 Second Prize of National Scientific and Technological Progress Award. Scientists of the institute have published 107 monographs and over 1200 academic papers at home and abroad, containing 54 SCI papers. Meanwhile, breeding programme of the Institute has brought about some new varieties or cultivars to the tropical agricultural sector, e.g., 11 cassava varieties of South China series, 24 varieties of tropical forages, 7 varieties of vegetables and 2 varietie.
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