(ECNS) -- Thanks to agricultural technology, the per-unit output of grain crops in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) ranks among the highest in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and even across China.
Data from the local Agriculture and Rural Bureau shows that, in 2022, the XPCC's grain planting area reached 5.1195 million mu (about 340,000 hectares), with a total output of 3.1535 million tons, an increase of 344,700 tons or 12.3 percent from 2021. The per-unit output of grain crops was 616 kg, ranking first in the country and 229 kg higher than the national average. The total output increase accounted for nearly one-tenth of the national increase and nearly half of the increase in Xinjiang.
Emphasis on agriculture technology
Known as the "grain barn" of the XPCC , Qitai Farm in the Sixth Division is an important grain production base. Over the years, the farm has made great efforts to cultivate high-yield experimental fields, focusing on promoting super-high-yield winter wheat, spring wheat, corn and other grain crops. In 2022, Qitai Farm achieved a winter wheat yield of 863.8 kg per mu, setting a new record for winter wheat production in Xinjiang.
Besides, the Qitai Farm has conducted experiments in breeding, cultivation, water and fertilizer management, high-density planting technology, lodging prevention, and post-maturity decline. It has developed an efficient model for corn selection, breeding, cultivation, and management, resulting in a significant increase in maize yield from the previous over 600 kg per mu to over 1,000 kg per mu.
"The secret to Qitai Farm's consecutive two-year record-breaking winter wheat yields in Xinjiang is not only due to meticulous management and increased promotion of technology, but also the promotion of excellent varieties," said the head of the agricultural development service center at Qitai Farm.
Promoting agricultural modernization
Over the years, the XPCC has strengthened the cultivation of high-standard farmland. As of 2022, a total of 13.77 million mu of high-standard farmland has been developed, highlighting the advantages of intensive and large-scale agriculture in the Corps and laying a solid foundation for large-scale implementation of high-tech water-saving irrigation, integrated use of water and fertilizer, and modernization of agricultural machinery operations.
In recent years, the XPCC has vigorously promoted agricultural mechanization and intelligent production, implemented policies to subsidize agricultural machinery purchases, and upgraded agricultural machinery equipment.
Currently, the comprehensive mechanization rate of the XPCC's grain crops cultivation and harvesting has reached 100 percent.
Drones can spray pesticides on 900 mu of wheat fields in one day, and intelligent systems can precisely control water and fertilizer irrigation. Benefiting from advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and big data, XPCC's grain production has significantly increased.
"At present, the level of mechanized plowing, sowing, and harvesting in the XPCC is far higher than the national average. Precise seeding, irrigation, fertilization, intelligent mechanized harvesting, automatic monitoring of crop growth dynamics and other technologies are widely applied in crop production," said an insider of the Agriculture and Rural Bureau.
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