SCBG and Maruzen Pharm Sign Contract for Licorice Research

South China Botanical Garden (SCBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Maruzen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Japan (Maruzen Pharm) signed a cooperation contract for licorice research in Guangzhou on February 18, 2011. Prof. HUANG Hongwen, director of SCBG and Mr. IMOTO Katsue, president of Maruzen Pharm signed the contract as the respective representatives.

According to the contract, the first phase of the project lasts for three years. It includes the extensive investigation and collection of licorice resources and the establishment of two germplasm nurseries in Xinjiang and Ningxia, respectively. The aims of the project are the breeding of high quality licorice varieties and the development of their large-scale cultivation technology to push the preservation and sustainable utilization of licorice resources.

Apart from the researchers of SCBG, the project team also includes the experts from Institute of Genetics and Development Biology, CAS and Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS.

The meeting spot.

Both parties sign contract.

Group photo.