In October, the vibrant landscapes of Heilongjiang come to life with the changing seasons. During a recent production assessment event held in Zhenyu Village, Xinzhan Town, Daqing City, experts evaluated a novel “Three Good Integration” model for the effective management and comprehensive utilization of saline-alkaline land, developed by the research team led by Liang Zhengwei from the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Yang Jinsong, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Soil Research, served as the head of the production assessment expert group and shared the compelling results.
In a region known for its extensive saline-alkaline areas, Heilongjiang’s ecosystems are situated in one of the world’s largest distributions of such land, with nearly 14 million acres identified, of which around 12 million acres remain unutilized. The ongoing global food security crisis underscores the critical role of securing food supplies for maintaining social stability in China. Effectively using saline-alkaline land is seen as a vital channel for expanding, improving, and increasing arable land, positioning it as a potential grain reserve and a strategic backup for agricultural resources. Thus, comprehensive redevelopment of saline-alkaline lands is deemed essential for stabilizing grain production and ensuring national food security.
This production assessment event was jointly organized by the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology and Heilongjiang Chenxing Construction Development Co., Ltd.
At the site, experts measured plots, calculated areas, harvested rice, weighed it, and assessed water content. The results were impressive: in heavily sodic saline-alkaline fields with a pH of 10.00 and an EC of 0.60 mS/cm, the application of various soil improvement techniques—including phosphogypsum treatment, deep side fertilization, microbial agents, dense planting, and irrigation—resulted in rice yields exceeding 400 kilograms per acre for the Dongdao 122 and Tongze 861 varieties in their first year. In stark contrast, an untreated control plot yielded only 3.02 kilograms per acre.
Zhaoyuan County, in southwestern Heilongjiang, has several saline-alkaline areas. Wang Lizhi, the Party Secretary of Xinzhan Town, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of frontline workers and researchers, stating, “I visit every two weeks to monitor the growth of the rice. The output here is truly exceptional for our town.”
The comprehensive land remediation project in Zhenyu Village covers about 4,800 acres of saline-alkaline land, leading to the formation of approximately 3,676 acres of arable land. Xu Qingquan, a representative of Heilongjiang Chenxing Construction Development Co., Ltd., remarked that the company successfully invested in a project to enhance rural revitalization capabilities in September 2023, including plans to transform 14,268.70 acres of saline-alkaline land. The production assessment plot is part of one of their sub-projects, marking Heilongjiang’s first achievement of “project initiation, transformation, and yield achievement all in the same year.”
The comprehensive efforts are directed by the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology, focusing on “improving the land, selecting the right seeds, and utilizing the best methods” to sustainably enhance soil quality, boost rice production, and significantly increase overall benefits. This initiative not only aims to contribute to national food security but also aims to enhance local residents’ income and improve ecological conditions, taking rural revitalization to new heights.
