Abstract:This article reviews the outstanding achievements in cassava breeding and research made by the South China Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (now known as South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences) from the beginning of China’s Reform and Opening-up in 1978 to its renaming in 2003. It highlights the significant contributions of Professor Guo Junyan and his team in areas such as cassava variety selection, tissue culture, genetic transformation, and the promotion of new cultivars. The research team introduced high-quality cassava germplasm resources from institutions such as the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT, Colombia), and, by integrating rapid propagation through tissue culture techniques, successfully developed high-yield and high-quality cassava cultivars ‘Nanzhi 188’ and ‘Nanzhi 199’. These varieties were rapidly promoted across southern China, effectively advancing the efficient utilization and industrial development of cassava germplasm resources. In addition, the team established an in vitro regeneration system for cassava based on somatic embryogenesis and shoot organogenesis, centered around the ‘Nanzhi 188’ cultivar. They also innovatively developed a genetic transformation system via Agrobacterium-mediated shoot organogenesis from cotyledons of somatic embryos. These groundbreaking studies not only propelled the advancement of basic and applied cassava research in China but also had a profound impact on international cassava breeding research. Furthermore, they nurtured a cohort of cassava research leaders with a global perspective, laying a solid foundation for the continued development of China’s cassava industry.
