Kick-off Meeting of ANSO Collaborative Research Project

Surveillance of dispersal and pathogenicity differentiation of corn rust in Asia

17 01, 2023

On December 28, 2022, the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMCAS) successfully held the kick-off meeting of the ANSO International Collaborative Research Project entitled "Surveillance of dispersal and pathogenicity differentiation of corn rust in Asia” online. Fifteen participants from the cooperative organizations including National Omics Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency (Thailand), Kasetsart University (Thailand), the Institute of Botany, Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, and University of Philippines attended the meeting. Prof. Zhao Minyan, Ms. Xu Shuwen and Dr. Li Qian, program officers of ANSO Secretariat also attended the meeting. Ms. Xu Shuwendelivered an opening speech on behalf of ANSO, congratulating on the funding of the project, and wishing the successful completion of the project and the continuous realization of ANSO's vision of scientific and technological cooperation.

Prof. Cai Lei, Leading Investigator, warmly welcomed the meeting representatives. He introduced the cooperation history between IMCAS and the research institutes and universities in “Belt and Road” countries, especially the international cooperation networks that have been established in recent years on the platform of ANSO. He thanked ANSO for the support and guidance, and, as the project leader, he expressed that he will earnestly complete the project tasks, and ensure the successful completion of the project through joint investigation, technical training, academic visits and international exchange. During the course of project implementing, the team will make a good use of the important role of ANSO in the international cooperation network platform to further promote international cooperation in the field of microbial diversity and technology.

Focusing on the food safety issues of SDG2, this project will jointly monitor the long-distance transmission and pathogen variation of corn rusts, two major transnational crop diseases faced by the “Belt and Road” countries. The project aims to build the world's first corn rust pathogenicity database and based on which radiate to Africa, Europe and North America. The project will provide important research materials and basic data for corn rust disease monitoring and resistant breeding. At the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Liang Junmin from the Chinese team introduced the overall tasks and implementation plan; Prof Wirulda Pootakham from the Thai side, Assoc. Prof. Yusufjon Gafforov from the Uzbek side and Prof. Fe M. Dela Cueva from the Philippine side gave their reports on respective project plans. The four teams had comprehensive discussion on annual goals, sample sharing and possible technical issues they may encounter.

Finally, Prof. Zhao pointed out that the project was highly recommended in the review and selection process. She hoped that all parties would give their full strengths to ensure a well-tracked progress achieving all the scientific and collaborative goals, as well as further develop the cooperative network via ANSO platform to improve the scientific and technological strength and common well-being for “Belt and Road” countries and their people.

Source: Prof. LIANG Junmin, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences