AWARDEE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES AND MATERIA MEDICA PRIZE

XU JINTANG

Xu Jintang, born in Wutai County, Shanxi Province, graduated from Shanxi Agricultural University in 1958. Then he worked in Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), transferred to Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPD) in 1983. In the past years, he acted as assistant professor, vice professor, professor, vice director of cultivation department, director of medicinal fungi department, vice director of academic degree accreditation committee of IMPD. Now he is a commissioner of new medicine and exploration of medicinal resources subject committee, director of specialist consultation committee, administrative director of China edible fungi committee, commissioner of medicinal fungi committee.
Prof. Xu embarked on cultivation of medicinal plant and fungi. His main achievement was as follows: he cultivated Gastrodia elata(TM), a rare Chinese herb, with Armillariella mellea together, solved the artificial cultivation TM successfully. He also invented the method of cultivated TM on asexual reproduction fixation fungal bed. This invention was spread and applied in a large area. Insufficient supply of TM in China lasted for 3 years was changed entirely, and a large quantity of TM were exported. When degradation of TM after several times asexual reproduction emerged and yield decreased in large scale, he found germination of the TM seed suppressed by Armillariella mellea severely and isolated, selected, identified germinated fungi, such as Mycena osmundicola, reveal the secret of germination of TM seed and Mycena, asexual reproduction and completion of life cycle cultured with Armillariella mellea together. This is a great breakthrough of theory, practical signification and biological research. Based on the result, TM dual cultivated with pure fungi was experimented successfully, degradation of TM was suppressed and the yield was increased. Coptis chinensis grow under the trees, for one acre of Coptis chinensis cultivation, three acres woods must be felled for building of shield. A large quantity of woods were destroyed, water and soil lost, the natural environment was destroyed severely. His successful research “maize for Coptis chinensis cultivation and technique of overshadow by forestation" was a 4 foison of medicine, food, wood and stockbreeding, which was applied in production widely, with expansive foreground of application.