Explore the technological models of Yangling applied in multiple regions in 2021

From June 22nd to July 2nd, the reporters visited the Northwest A&F University Experimental Demonstration Station and Yangling Agricultural Science & Technology Demonstration and Promotion Base in provinces such as Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi, learning about the new changes brought by the the agricultural science and technology from Yangling to the development of agriculture and farmers' lives in Northwest China. They also witnessed the responsibilities and deeds of agricultural experts such as "Dr. Tea", "Sheep Professor", "Chief of Cattle", "Chief of Corn" and "Chief of Apple" applying scientific and technological achievements to strengthen local agriculture and enrich the peasants.

"Dr. Tea" used "technological sweat" to irrigate Fumin Tea

Dr. Yu Youben (Left)

"Shaanxi tea is of good quality, which is also the leading industry for poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, thus is in need of much further promotion." On June 22, at Hanshan Tea Company, the Yangling Agricultural Science & Technology Demonstration and Promotion Station in Nanzheng District, Hanzhong City, Yu Youben, who acquired PhD in Tea Science from Northwest A&F University, also Dean of the Tea Department of the School of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, and Chief Expert of the tea industry technological system in Shaanxi, introduced Shaanxi tea to the reporters on site.

In recent years, Hanshan Tea Company has cooperated with Northwest A&F University via the UIC model, also with the support of Dr. Yu Youben, the company, which used to mainly produce green tea, now has black tea fulfill 70% of the production, thus extending the production chain. Also via employing human labors to have weed controlled and fertilize the tea gardens, pluck fresh tea leaves, plus offering land transfer dividends, the company has helped the tea farmers increase their income and get rid of poverty.

Authentic TCM plants growing on barren soil

Longde County, located in the southern border of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, also with the terrain high in the east and low in the west, is featured by numerous hills and gullies, and the agricultural development is thus severely restricted. However, on this barren land, it is Yangling's agricultural science & technology that enables the development of TCM such as Astragalus and Codonopsis to flourish.

Through the guidance upon the variety selection, planting technology, and pest control, major technical bottlenecks for planting the characteristic TCM plants were broken through.

A mew oilseed rape variety originating in Shaanxi blooms in Qilian Mountain

Having his "Qinzayou No.11" get quickly promoted by local companies and welcomed by local farmers, Wei Shihao, a breeding staff member of the Shaanxi Hybrid Rape Research Center, was particularly excited.

The Minle Oilseed Rape Demonstration and Promotion Base was established in 2003 and was recognized as a science and technology demonstration and promotion base by Yangling Demonstration Zone in 2016. Through UIC cooperation model, the base has deployed an innovation chain around the industrial chain, forming a whole industrial chain model involving germplasm resource innovation, combination selection, experimental identification, variety registration, achievement transformation, and seed production.

"Sheep Professor" guided enterprises to introduce dairy sheep

In 2012, Northwest A&F University and Jinchang (Gansu Province) Municipal Government established the Jinchang Meat Sheep Experimental Demonstration Base through school-site cooperation, and jointly carried out the breeding of a new breed of Hu sheep, the efficient selection of hybrid combinations of mutton sheep, the highly efficient research and development of fodder for mutton sheep, and the scaling up of mutton sheep breeding model, major achievements were realized.

In recent years, a full-grown mutton sheep can generate about 3,000 yuan in revenue, reaching the maximum return. Each year, the revenue from the milk of each dairy sheep can reach more than 3,000 yuan. Together with the 3,000-plus yuan from the mutton, the benefit of a dairy sheep can totol 7,000 yuan. In other words, the benefits of breeding will be doubled when the milk and mutton are utilized together.

"Chief of Cattle" promoted new technologies to make cattle raising easier for farmers

After the villagers of Fuling Village moved to their current location in 2017, they encountered a problem with their industrial development. After the battle against poverty, with the technical guidance of experts from Northwest A&F University and the support of China Resources Group, the village began to vigorously develop the beef cattle breeding industry and built a high-standard beef cattle breeding park in the village.Luo Chengjun, secretary of the Party branch of Fuling village, told reporters that five cowsheds are considered as a unit. Large cattle-raising households are expected to help those late comers. Farmers now become bosses and leap from poor households to well-off families. The village is expected to earn about 4 million yuan annually, with a net profit of 5,000 to 6,000 yuan per head of cattle.

Corn-breeding experts made new achievements

The self-propelled pointer sprinkler is slowly rotating and watering the corn in the farmland at the corn test demonstration base behind the Yulin Academy of Agricultural Sciences on such hot summer days. In the past, people thought that Yulin, which is located in the transition zone of Maowusu Desert and Loess Plateau, is extremely dry with frequent sandstorms. However, in recent years, Yulin's corn planting area has remained stable at 4 million mu year-round, ranking among the top in Shaanxi Province. Besides, Yulin has become a showcase platform and proliferation base for new corn varieties and technologies in Shaanxi and even Northwest China.

           In November 2014, the Yulin Municipal Government and the Northwest A&F University officially established the Yulin Maize Experimental Demonstration Station, relying on the scientific and technological advantages of the university and unique climate, geography, land and other resources of Yulin. The demonstration station focuses on the technical needs of the development of the corn industry in Shaanxi, aims to enhance the scientific competitiveness, and conducts experimental demonstrations of new corn varieties and technologies via the UIC model.

In addition to corn breeding, Professor Xue Jiquan's team has also piloted three sets of technological innovation models for full mechanized corn production adapted to three ecological zones in Shaanxi, and managed to promote them in various ways to realize the integration of scientific and technological achievements and corn production. With the positive interactions among expert teams, technology promotion and farmers' needs, the share of sci-tech contribution to corn production has increased significantly.

New apple varieties and technologies brought good harvests

In March 2012, Northwest A&F University, Qingyang Municipal Government and Qingcheng County Government carried out school-site cooperation to build the Qingcheng Apple Experimental Demonstration Station. The demonstration station is committed to improving the scientific and technological level of the apple industry through focusing on the ecological location advantage of the apple industry on the Loess Plateau in Longdong and the demand for poverty alleviation and rural revitalization.Driven by the demonstration station, a large number of new apple varieties and new apple planting techniques are applied in Qingyang, playing a leading and demonstrative role in the development of the local apple industry. The apple area in Qingcheng County alone increased from 230,000 mu to 430,000 mu, the output grew from 90,000 tons to 200,000 tons, and the output value increased from 400 million yuan to 900 million yuan. As a result, the per capita income of farmers increased by 2,700 yuan.