Institue of Genetics and Physiology, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences
(HAAFS)

Protected Cultivation
The total area of protected vegetable cultivation in Hebei is 0.47 million ha. Because of the characteristics of protected cultivation this leads to soil degeneration. Furthermore, over-fertilization, improper dispose of plant residues, and the lack of soil bioremediation and conservation technologies greatly accelerates the degeneration. This results in severe losses from pests and disease, the accumulation of root in the soil, the decrease of output, and loss of quality. Investigation showed that the average production output will decrease more than 30% in the next 5 years. In some cultivation areas this decrease has already caused the abandoning of land.

Protected cultivation enables off-season vegetable production, which is demanded by the market and leads to an increase in rural income. According to 2005 statistics, 20% of the farmers’ net income in Hebei province came from vegetable production.

The provincial government listed vegetable production as one of the three key agricultural development industries in Hebei. By the end of 2010, the production area of protected vegetables will reach to 0.67 million ha, showing us the importance and urgency to solve the problems caused by monoculture.

At present in Hebei, farmers usually take reactive measures only. To control diseases they mainly use low toxic pesticides, bio-control or more manure. To control soil salinity, fertilization, manure and bio-gas residue are used. Although these measures will have certain effects, they do not solve the problem. Research has shown the real problem is the degeneration of the ecological condition of soil, related to its physical properties (aggregate structure), chemical composition (nutrient and self-poisonous substance accumulation) and biological structure (soil microflora). Apart from protected cultivation other reasons for degeneration are improper fertilization and crop residue treatment and lack of soil ecological conservation technology.

According to prior investigations made by the project group, Phosphor and Potassium contents in vegetable fields in Hebei exceeded the demand for vegetable growth by 1.7 times of which 60% was applied through unfermented manure. Moreover, large amounts of residue from vegetable production, such as stalks and diseased fruits are usually deposited around the greenhouse, becoming the sources for pathogen propagation and infection. Safe and effective control techniques for severe soil borne diseases such as root knot nematode are needed.

For many years, the project group studied how to utilize crop residues and cattle wastes and how to make bio-amendments to degenerated soil. Our project group has already developed a bio-fermentation starter, techniques and facilities, which won a provincial award in 2003. Since 2002, the research group has been focusing on control techniques for problems due to vegetable monoculture due to protected cultivation, and held a survey on the occurrence of monoculture problems in Hebei. Our group established a formula fertilization model and know-how and also developed a rhizospheare ecological amendment bio-agent which can effectively control disease, support plant growth and decompose the poisonous substance emitted from plant roots. The above mentioned technological system overcame the problems of low efficiency and instability compared to other products of the same kind. The product and its production technology are currently under application for an invention patent. Now, more research needs to be done, such as the isolation, collection, marking and evaluation of more predominant strains of bio-agents.

Research Plan

Isolation and evaluation of functional strains
Select functional microbial strains that can control soil-borne diseases, promote crop growth and break down organic pollutants. Study the biological and ecological characteristics of the dominant strains. Setup aim strain marks and ecology evaluation techniques.

Agriculture waste fast fermentation technologies
Isolate, select and introduce microbial inoculum suitable for the fast fermentation of animal wastes and cereal residues under high temperature; Set up optimal fermentation techniques and standards.

Soil ecology remediation and evaluation technologies
Set up a soil ecological amendment and conservation technological system and develop a soil ecological regulation agent with beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms.   

Project objective

The demonstration base will achieve a safe recurrent utilization of manure and vegetable residue, combining the application of rhizosphere ecological regulation technology and other environmentally sound technologies, increase the control efficiency for soilborne diseases to over 70％, and increase vegetable yield to over 15%.

The results of this project will provide technological support to solve the problems caused by soil degeneration and monoculture of protected vegetable production. It is of great importance to enhance market competitiveness and increase farmers’ income, as well as secure famer’s livelihoods.

The technologies and products that derive from this project can be extended to other crops as well as flowers in different areas to benefit the growers. It can also be used in organic production.

Implementation unit information

The institute of genetics and physiology of Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences (HAAFS) was established in 1984, and originated from the institute of agro-physics, physiology and biochemistry of HAAFS. As a non-profit research institution, it has 58 staff, 5 with doctor degree, 23 with master degree, 16 senior scientists.

Through 25 years of development, the institute established a research system with its own characteristics. Its research activities mainly focus on crop stress, plant gene transformation, molecular cytobiology, crop post-harvest technology, microbial engineering, edible fungi, pesticides and quality detection and control. Some national and provincial organizations are situated in the institute, including the provincial key lab of plant gene transformation, the national test unit for pesticide production permit, and the provincial station for pesticide quality inspection and control. It also is one of the supporting institutes for the provincial plant stress research base.

The institute has cooperative relations with Korea, South Africa, Canada, and Russia that conduct scientist exchange, training and cooperative research. It also has cooperation with universities on postgraduate programs including Shenyang Agricultural University, Hebei Normal University and Hebei Agricultural University.

Since its establishment, the institute has received 58 research achievements, over 50 also received national and provincial awards. 590 research papers were published. At present, the institute is participating in many national and provincial key projects. Its total lab area is 4500m2 with 503 pieces of laboratory equipment worth 8.31 million RMB.

The research work of the Microbial Engineering Research Center, the key lab of HAAFS situated in the institute, focuses on three areas: (1) Bioremediation of soil and water; (2) High efficiency and safe utilization of agricultural waste; (3) Probiotics for humans and animasl. All the above-mentioned work is based upon finding and using resources of beneficial micro-organisms from a natural environment. The institute can provide basic facilities and equipments for research, fermentation and pilot scale production, including the facilities for microbial isolation, culture, test and bioassay, 500L and 1000L advanced fermentation system for liquid fermentation and solid fermentation, and a 300m2 glass greenhouse.

In recent years, the Institute of Genetics and Physiology has been devoted to research and service activities related to the above-mentioned project. They not only developed the inoculum and fermentation facilities for animal waste which has produced great effect on the waste treatment area, but also developed cooperative relationship with over 30 bio-fertilizer factories. They have established 5 county level bio-fertilizer demonstration bases in Zhaoxian, Gaocheng and Xinji. In big vegetable producing counties like Gaocheng, Wuqiang, Luancheng and Dingzhou, several demonstration bases for the safe control of vegetable monoculture problems have been established. The institute also has a very good cooperative relationship with the technology extension sector on provincial, city and county levels, which will provide basic conditions for the implementation of the project.