Research team to turn 6.7 mln ha of saline land into paddies

A research team led by renowned agronomist Yuan Longping has announced plans to transform 6.7 million hectares of saline land in China for rice cultivation in eight to ten years.

“In 2020, we made major strides in breeding and cultivation techniques as well as soil improvement. With greater joint efforts, we will achieve our goal,” Yuan said via video link at the 5th International Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Forum in Sanya on Friday.

Yuan Longping delivers a speech via video at 5th International Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Forum. (Qingdao Saline-alkali Tolerant Rice R&D Center)

So far, contracts have been signed to reclaim 400,000 hectares of saline land across China.

In 2017, Yuan’s team developed varieties of saline-alkali tolerant rice using molecular breeding technologies.

Also known as“saltwater rice”, the variety can grow in high salt content soil, without fertilizers or pesticides.

A saline-alkali tolerant rice paddy (Qingdao Saline-alkali Tolerant Rice R&D Center)

The highest average yield of 12 tonnes per hectare was reaped in Jiangsu province last year.

China has about 100 million hectares of saline-alkali soil, of which a fifth has the potential for rice cultivation.

A saline-alkali tolerant rice paddy (Qingdao Saline-alkali Tolerant Rice R&D Center)

A saline-alkali tolerant rice paddy (Qingdao Saline-alkali Tolerant Rice R&D Center)