Team of Cotton Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement
发布时间:2015-10-13 浏览次数:
 

Cotton Genetics and Germplasm Innovation Team, also known as Cotton Research Institute (CRI, http://mascotton.njau.edu.cn/) is an important component of the national key discipline "Crop Genetic Breeding", "State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement" and the Biotechnology Center of NJAU. CRI has developed a comprehensive research program on cotton genomics, functional genetics, molecular breeding and new cotton germplasm creation. The achievements drive CRI into the leading power for cotton fundamental research and the supporting force for local cotton industry. The research projects conducted by CRI have been generously supported by grants from National 973 Program, National 863 Project, National Natural Science Foundation, National Research and Development Project of Transgenic Crops Project, as well as the research funds from Jiangsu Provincial government, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture.

In early 2015, CRI finished the first high-quality genome sequencing of allotetraploid cotton, which paves the way to cotton genetic study and polyploidy genomic research. On top of this, multiple breaking through studies have been achieved in cotton fiber and glandular cell development, cotton resistance and polyploidy evolution. From the year of 2011, 65 research papers were published in the top journals including Nature Biotechnology, Nature Communications, Genome Research, Journal of Experimental Botany and Scientific Report. More than 10 techniques were patented for innovation. The major research achievements and the CRI team have been honored by the national and provincial awards. By 2015, about 20 of the new cotton germplasms and variaties created by the team were officially approved. Prof. Tianzhen Zhang, the current director of CRI, was elected as the Chair of the International Cotton Genome Initiative (ICGI) during 2011-2015, which indicates the CRI has established the reputation in the international research community.

Team Leader: Prof. Tianzhen Zhang