Chinese scientists invent a way to turn salty soil into fertile farmland as the Chinese government pushes for food security

Due to the dry climate, salts are not diluted by rain, so a thick layer of salt gradually accumulates in the soil.

Salt won’t stop China from promoting food security as saline soil yields huge harvests

Li, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and his team have devised an innovative solution to address poor soil quality. Crop stems, approximately 5 cm to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches) long, were removed and placed flat under the soil to a depth of 30 cm to 40 cm to prevent salt from floating to the surface. They also covered the ground with a layer of plastic to retain soil moisture.

After the treatment, soil salt content decreased by 36 percent on average and crop yields increased by 30.5 percent, according to Friday’s official Science and Technology Daily.

According to the report, the research team spent more than a decade studying the treatment of saline-alkaline soils in other regions of China, including Shandong and Heilongjiang provinces, and sought soil remediation methods tailored to local conditions.

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China ranks third in the world in area of ​​saline-alkaline land, with about 100 million hectares (247 million acres), about one-third of which is due to soil treatment and better agricultural practices. It may be available.

Since the 1950s, China has embarked on a large-scale national campaign to control saline and alkaline soils.

Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed this issue in a speech last July, saying, “Considering that China has a lot of saline land and the tendency of agricultural land salinization is worsening in some areas, comprehensive “It is very important that we improve and make better use of it.”

Ma Wei, a scientist at the Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said in an interview with the state-run China News Service this month that China currently has more than 40 methods and technologies for treating saline soil.

“Many countries have taken action and are pioneering many practices and measures to develop and manage affected soils,” Marr said.

He said China has provided advanced technology and experience to Belt and Road countries and developing countries to deal with this problem, but it has also learned from other countries and has developed salt-tolerant genes from Italy, Japan, South Korea and South Korea. He added that rice seeds have been introduced. United States and other countries.

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Officials pledged to keep total grain production above 650 million tonnes (717 tonnes) as China prioritizes self-sufficiency in the face of rising climate shocks and uncertain global food markets. This is the level that China has achieved since 2015.

In a memo to the Rural Work Conference, President Xi said farmland is China’s “lifeline” and urged greater investment in “high-quality” farmland.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), more than 833 million hectares of land worldwide has become salinized. This is approximately four times the size of India and approximately 9 percent of the Earth’s surface.

According to FAO, unsustainable agricultural practices, overexploitation of natural resources and a growing global population are increasing pressure on soils, causing alarming rates of soil degradation around the world.