In cooperation with the Institute of Crop Sciences (ICS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS), the technical meeting on Assessing Nutrient Use Efficiency in Mutation Breeding Programme of IAEA/RCA regional TC project RAS5077 was held in Beijing from 19 to 23 August 2019. Counterparts from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Lao P.D.R., Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam attended the meeting. Dr. Weiping Hao, the Deputy Director General from Department of International Cooperation of CAAS, Dr. Isaac Kofi Bimpong, Technical Officer of the project (FAO/IAEA Joint Division), presented and addressed at the opening ceremony. The meeting was presided over by Prof. Luxiang Liu, Leading Country Coordinator of the project, Deputy Director of ICS, CAAS.

Dr. Isaac Kofi Bimpong made a presentation on FAO/IAEA programme on Plant Mutation Breeding with emphasis on progress in mutation induction for novel genetic diversity in vegetative propagated crops and perennials, different kind of mutagen sources and some micropropagation techniques. He highlighted the importance of precision phenotyping and selection, speed-breeding technologies and marker-assisted selection in his speech. Prof. Luxiang Liu presented the main achievement of the progress which includes establishment of 28 protocols for mutation induction and screening of target green traits through new mutation techniques including heavy ion beam irradiation, development and submission of 179 advanced stable mutant lines with improved green traits for regional multi-location test for release, development of over 7300 mutant lines and mutant populations for further evaluation for desired green traits. Individual country progress reports were presented by each of the 17 participants.

Four presentations covering wide range of areas in nutrient use efficiency in crops were delivered by scientists from Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Agricultural University and Henan Academy of Agricultural Science. Technical visits to heavy ion beam facility and experimental station generated a lot of scientific discussion on the use and efficacy of ion beam as a mutation inducer in crops.

The meeting achieved the expected objectives in terms of assessing the progress and planning of the project in focusing on the Nutrient Use Efficiency, and updated the regional workplan for 2020 and recommended that the final review meeting should be held in Malaysia or Lao PDR in November.