In celebration of World Food Day, remarkable strides in agriculture have been made on the Chinese mainland, turning salt-rich soils into fertile land. This transformation is not only boosting crop yields but also contributing to global food security.
\"The soils are transformed and the yield is raised,\" said Yang Jingsong, a researcher at the Institute of Soil Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. After a year of soil remediation, Yang conducted measurements on the pH value of the transformed saline-alkali soils and evaluated the rice yield in an experimental field located in Zhaoyuan County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
The results are astonishing. The yield of rice varieties 'Dongdao 122' and 'Tongze 861' exceeded 400 kilograms per mu, a stark contrast to the mere 3.02 kilograms per mu produced by unmodified land. These impressive figures highlight the effectiveness of the soil improvement methods employed since September 2023, including the use of phosphogypsum and microbial fertilizer.
Further emphasizing the success of these efforts, the paddy rice growing area of Wuchang City is renowned as Heilongjiang's premier region for cultivating high-quality rice. This year, the yield of the famous 'Daohuaxiang' rice variety reached approximately 500 kilograms per mu, as reported by the Economic Information Daily.
These advancements exemplify how innovative agricultural practices can rehabilitate challenging environments, ensuring higher productivity and sustainability. As the world faces increasing challenges related to soil salinity and food production, the Chinese mainland's initiatives offer valuable insights and hope for future agricultural development.
Reference(s):
World Food Day: Turning salt-rich soils into fertile soils in China
cgtn.com
