Current location:entertainment >>
Xinjiang Story: Scientists empower locals to fight desertification, boost incomes
entertainment5835People have gathered around
Introduction(Xinhua) 09:52, December 25, 2023URUMQI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A few inches beneath salt cedars and sa ...
URUMQI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A few inches beneath salt cedars and saxouls, two shrubs that fend off the desert, lies buried a botanist's gift for farmers in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
These scaly tubers, called cistanche, are precious tonics used in traditional Uygur medicines. Thanks to a group of sand-control scientists, villagers on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, China's largest desert known as the "Sea of Death," have learned to grow cistanche by parasitizing them to the roots of sand-fixating plants.
In the Topaaizhik Village, located under Qira County, thousands of newly harvested cistanche crops have been laid out on the ground to dry. Villagers cover them with quilts at night to prevent them from being damaged by frostbite.
"Six kilograms of fresh 'dayun' (cistanche) can make one kilogram of dried 'dayun,' which can sell for 50-60 yuan (about 7-8 U.S. dollars) on the market," one villager told Xinhua.
Such bumper harvests used to be a rarity on this ancient battlefield between the desert and its human dwellers. Throughout history, Qira County has had to relocate three times after sandstorms and moving sands engulfed village houses and farmlands.
In 1983, the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography under the Chinese Academy of Sciences established a station in the county to tackle sandstorms and fight desertification.
One of their primary jobs included selecting and breeding drought-resistent plants to form a natural barrier against the encroaching sand. Since 2000, the station has promoted the afforestation of 15 sand-fixing plants, such as the endemic salt cedars and non-local saxouls, said Zeng Fanjiang, the leading researcher of the station.
Their research has, over the past 40 years, helped the county restore more than 16,000 hectares of natural vegetation. This has reduced the number of days each year with sandy weather from 270 to 120 and revived 38 villages on the periphery of the desert, said the veteran botanist.
Apart from making sandy lands inhabitable, this Qira approach to desert control is also known for increasing the productivity of the area.
Liu Mingting, a former leading researcher at the station, invented the technique of sowing cistanche seeds into the roots of sand-fixing salt cedars after discovering the symbiosis between the two in the 1980s. The method has since been refined and taught to local farmers.
"It's our belief that (work on) the ecological environment must be integrated with (efforts to improve) the livelihood," said Zeng. "Such approach also unites us with the locals."
Turgun Jappar, director of the county's sand-control center, recalled that local farmers responded enthusiastically to the scientists' proposal of taming the desert.
"Villagers who once abandoned their sand-ravaged villages came back to join our afforestation drive. They wanted to have their ancestral homes back," said the official.
The afforested shrubs were first managed centrally to ensure their survival, and were then contracted to farmers so that they can grow and harvest cistanche and other crops, according to Turgun Jappar.
He noted that the windbreaking and sand-fixing plants now contribute 30 percent of the county's yearly per capita income.
Following the success of cistanche, scientists continued to look for other productive options. One of them is yellow nutsedge originating from Africa. Its chewy, bean-sized tubers, called earth almonds, can be made into oil or soya milk-like juice.
"This plant is a sand-fixing grass as well as a high-yielding cash crop. It can work two wonders on its own," said Xue Jie, a researcher at the station.
At 36, Xue is one of the new-generation scientists at the station, whose missions have moved beyond desert control and productive use of sandy lands.
"Our new studies include the management of the local water resources and calculating the plants' carbon sink. But the goal of improving lives of the local community remains unchanged," he said.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Culture Corner news portal”。http://tajikistan.fictionsmistress.com/html-55c099857.html
Related articles
Revealed: Brit tourist, 19, subjected to sex attack in Majorca 'was gang
entertainmentA 19-year-old British tourist who was subjected to a horrific sex attack in Majorca 'was gang-raped ...
Read moreSarah Ferguson breaks her silence after being snubbed for a coronation invite by King Charles
entertainmentSarah Ferguson has broken her silence after she was snubbed by King Charles for a Coronation invitat ...
Read moreLucy Hale reveals what her current equation is with her Pretty Little Lies co
entertainmentLucy Hale has revealed what her current equation is with her old co-stars on Pretty Little Liars, th ...
Read more
Popular articles
- Investigators return to Long Island home of Gilgo Beach serial killing suspect
- Amanda Bynes' former Nickelodeon co
- The Talk CANCELLED! Daytime series to end with season 15
- Super Tuesday: What is it and why is it so important?
- Sweden beats France, Britain relegated after losing to Norway at hockey worlds
- Prince Harry and William 'have no plans for a reunion during visits for King Charles' coronation'
Latest articles
Investigators return to Long Island home of Gilgo Beach serial killing suspect
America's best fast food restaurants ranked
Queen Mary and King Frederik slammed for 'unprofessional' approach over the Easter long weekend
Netflix fans go wild over 'absolutely brilliant' new drama but are surprised by a shock cameo
Fresh heartache for cancer
Engineering student, 21, falls to his death from 120 foot waterfall while hiking through Big Sur
LINKS
- Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico in life
- French president is considering imposing a state of emergency in the territory of New Caledonia
- Pakistan test
- Arnold Schwarzenegger's son Joseph Baena posts rare snap with mom Mildred for Mother's Day
- Child migration through Panama's dangerous Darien Gap is up 40%, UN report says
- Blinken's Kyiv song choice raises eyebrows as Ukraine fights fierce Russian attacks
- Buffalo dedicates park
- From acting to the squared circle, Emmy winner Hauser is ready to rumble for Major League Wrestling
- Chances of Cyprus peace talks restart look dimmer as Turkish Cypriot leader sees no common ground
- Paris garbage collectors lift strike threat ahead of Olympic Games