Foreign media: Chinese agricultural scientists have transformed 40 hectares (99 acres) of saline-alkali land into fertile farmland through seven years of effort in Xinjiang, supporting the growth of various crops.
This breakthrough occurred in Shihezi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, led by a research team from a local university. The improved land can now be used to grow crops such as wheat and rapeseed. In 2020, the research team introduced a salt-tolerant rapeseed variety called "Huayouza 62" and used the harvested rapeseed as green manure, enriching the soil's organic matter. As the soil quality improved, farmers successfully cultivated winter wheat, cotton, and tomatoes.
This achievement is part of China's nationwide saline-alkali land improvement plan aimed at addressing food security issues brought about by climate change, global market fluctuations, and geopolitical pressures. Xinjiang, which accounts for one-sixth of China's land area, plays a key role, despite having 7.1 million hectares of arable land, it also accounts for one-third of the country's saline-alkali land.
China's saline-alkali land area reaches 100 million hectares, making it the third largest saline-alkali land country in the world.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1835061840985283/
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