Local authorities have proclaimed a trial program to grow rice on multiple saline-alkani lands in Zhoushan, a coastal city in Zhejiang province, a success.

The trial program, started by the city last year, has been conducted on around a hectare of rice in a salt field in Daishan county.

39 varieties of rice along with seven kinds of soil conditioning materials were introduced from within and outside the province to undergo a trial of rice planting in the saline-alkali soils of Zhoushan, under the guidance of the city's agricultural and forest science institute.

Meanwhile, a study of the comprehensive supporting techniques for rice planting in the saline-alkali soils was also conducted to improve the growth of the rice. 

Growing in such unusual conditions, the rice, unlike in normal circumstances, has been grown with a stress resistance and saline-alkali tolerance, in order to grow healthily in the improved low-saline alkali soil, and to be irrigated with a mixture of sea water and fresh water.

According to statistics, Zhoushan has altogether approximately 2,500 hectares of saline-alkali mudflats that can be used for the trial rice planting program.

A trial rice growing program takes place in a salt field in Daishan county, Zhoushan city, Zhejiang province. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com]