Prof. CHEN Zhu, health minister of China, paid an inspection tour to XTBG on December 29. He inspected the cultivation bases of physic nut tree (Jatropha curcas L.) and Inca peanut (Plukenetia volubilis L.) and the Central Laboratory.

Dr. Chen Jin, director of XTBG, made a work report regarding achievements over the past five years and development planning for the next five years to the health minister, who’s also former vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

“Great changes have taken place in this robust botanical garden with good tradition and scientific accumulation”, Chen Zhu said. “As a research institution engaged in regional biodiversity conservation and a well-known botanical garden, XTBG is a real scientific botanical garden”, he added.

“Studies on resource protection and sustainable utilization can directly do benefit to health. Inca peanut is a plant for functional food and dietary supplement in the future. Physic nut is a resource plant for renewable biomass energy. All these have connections with human health”, Chen Zhu made these remarks when talking with XTBG scientists and leaders.

Chen Zhu encouraged promoting more connections between ecological protection and human health among botanical gardens in China in the future.

Dr. Chen Jin(right 1) accompanying Chen Zhu (left 1) visiting Flower Garden

At the cultivation base of Inca peanut (Plukenetia volubilis L.)

At the cultivation Base of physic nut tree (Jatropha curcas L.)