Organisation profile

1、Establishing object (1) Basic and applied researches in high-valued tropical plants Basic and applied researches for high-valued tropical plants such as ornamental flowers and plants, fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants including growth and development, physiology, genetics, and identification of novel secondary metabolites for their utilization for medicinal purpose. (2) Basic and applied researches in abiotic stress biology: Climate change affects biodiversity and crop productivity in agroecosystem by changing the precipitation, temperature and other climate variables which are the key determinants of crop productivity. Basic and applied researches on how plants response to extreme water conditions (drought and flooding), salinity and high temperature are essential in ensuring crop productivity and food supply in response to extreme climate environment. (3) Nurture R&D and management manpower in Tropical Plant sciences: Biotechnology has become one of the major focuses for the government to promote high-tech research and development in plant industry. The education purpose of the Institute of Tropical Plant Sciences lays emphasis on teaching students not only with basic and advanced knowledge in plant sciences and biotechnology, but also training students becoming competent and skillful manpower. The institute also strengthens collaborative ties with Tainan Science and Industrial Park, and Taiwan Orchid Plantation in training and research. The liaison between our institute and industry will benefit the cultivation of R&D and management manpower. (4) Conservation and utilization of endangered tropical plant resources: Taiwan is located in subtropical zone rich in flora and fauna especially in the southern plains and hill regions, There are many native plants and show diverse genetic variation between different geographical populations. Precipitation, temperature, and other climate variables are key determinants of crop growth, affecting all aspects of agroecosystems.In past decades, industrialization and deforestation have led to rapid increase in greenhouse gas emission causing global warming and abnormal rainfall patterns in many regions of the world causing the degradation of plant biodiversity and crop productivity. There is collect afford globally in mitigation the growth in concentrations of greenhouse gases. Increase crop plants tolerance to high temperature, drought, hypoxia and salinity are crucial in ensure future food supply. Plant genetic resources provide large pool of novel traits for identification the molecular mechanisms and keys genes associated with tolerance to different abiotic stresses. Knowledge gains from these studies can utilize marker-assisted breeding and plant transformation to improve crop productivity under unfavorable climate change, 2、Teaching objectives (1) Strengthen collaborative ties with top research institutes provide us to enjoy the benefits of an active scientific community and access to advanced facilities in training students in R&D and management skills. (2) Liaison between the institute and industry in training students becoming competent and skillful manpower in plant biotechnology. 3、 Research Features (1) Development of biotechnology for tropical flowers and plants (such as orchid biotechnology ) (2) Research and development of biofuel as alternative energy. (3) Study biology of stress tolerance and application in tropical plants. (4) Study biochemical pathways in secondary metabolite biosynthesis and utilization (such as Melaleuca alternifolia and Gastrodia elata) (5) Integration of genomics and bioinformatics and strengthen their uses in plant physiology, biochemistry, genetics, growth and development, and evolution researches.