On June 20 – 21, specialty crop (medicinal and aromatic plants) scientist Dr. Frank Willy Marthe from the Julius Kuehn Institute (JKI), Germany was invited to the Protected Horticultural Research Institute, SAAS for an academic visit. Accompanied by the personnel of the Protected Horticultural Research Institute and the International Cooperation Office, Dr. Marthe made a field visit at Zhuanghang Comprehensive Experiment Station and made an in-depth discussion on the variety resources, breeding techniques, processing and utilization of pumpkin and spice plants.

Dr. Marthe also made a brief introduction of JKI including his research team and research results. After the report, both sides discussed the future work plan of the Sino-German agricultural science and technology cooperation project, entitled “Screening of High Quality and High Oil Yield of Oil Pumpkin Varieties (Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo var. styriaca) for Breeding of New Varieties”. Both sides agreed to take this project as an opportunity to cooperate and research on more specialty crops.