Posted on 09/14/2013 8:42:24 PM PDT by TexGrill
Experts and researchers on Saturday introduced new plant technology at a conference held on Saturday in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, to harness desertification of China.
Juncao, a kind of herbaceous herb, can be cultivated as substrate for edible and medicinal fungi, which may make great strides in sand control and reduce desertification thanks to the efforts of Lin Zhanxi, professor at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, and his team.
Lin started working with Juncao in 1986 and developed his system over more than two decades of research and innovation.
In April, sand control trials using Juncao were approved by the State Forestry Administration and forestry departments in Inner Mongolia, in a shifting dune region in Alxa League, with high temperatures, winds and low rainfall.
After four months the sand in the region has stabilized, and 75 percent of the Juncao are alive. Only 120 days to stabilize moving dune with Juncao means the technology could be a new way to arrest desertification in China.
Research results show that the plant has a high rate of photosynthesis, and high nutritional value, as well as being low-cost and high-profit.
"While turning the deserts green, Juncao also has economic benefits for society," said Tang Junhua, deputy dean of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
The super plant could also be using as substrate to cultivate mushrooms, and be manufactured into high-quality forage.
(Excerpt) Read more at english.cri.cn ...
Is “juncao” Chinese for kudzu?
Desertification.
Hmmmm, I was thinking more of apple pie or a hot fudge sundae.
What could go wrong?
Thanks TexGrill. Lysenko ping.
My thoughts exactly. IIRC, Kudzu was imported from China. They’ve had a superplant for millennia.
They said a lot of the same things here in the South when someone got the bright idea to control erosion of the red clay......it was/is called Kudzu......
Soil desertification is a problem all around the world. It is possible that desertification is caused by the movement of tectonic plates. The movement of tectonic plates takes thousands of years to complete.
I wanted to mention that desertification is causing many people to move from their native home to find new places to live. I think this includes people from Central and South America.
You know, I had completely forgotten this thread.
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