Heilongjiang Cooperative Explores Double Harvest Model on Black Soil

In Zhaodong City, Heilongjiang Province, the black soil is brimming with vitality as spring sowing gets in full swing. Wang Zhongbao, Chairman of Wang Laobao Grain Planting Professional Cooperative, is leading the team to explore a new "fresh pea + fresh corn" relay planting model on 7,800 mu of black soil, realizing "two harvests a year" and boosting agricultural output and farmers’ income. Xinhua News Agency reported that Zhaodong City has long been a key area for fresh corn planting in China, and this new relay planting model further taps the potential of local land resources.

"By accurately seizing the farming season to sow fresh peas in spring and then relay-plant fresh corn after harvest, we can achieve ‘two harvests from one plot of land’," Wang explained. "The crops grow vigorously, and the soil fertility is also maintained." At the fresh pea sowing site, newly ploughed black soil glistens, and several "smart" special pea seeders shuttle back and forth in the fields, sowing seeds at uniform depth and spacing along the wide ridges, marking a shift from "traditional farming" to "intelligent farming".

By merging traditional narrow ridges into 134-centimeter wide ridges and adopting a seven-row dense planting method, the planting density of peas per mu has increased by about 20%, and the ventilation and light conditions have been optimized. "Our special pea seeders control sowing depth, row spacing and plant spacing more accurately than experienced farmers, saving time and effort and laying a solid foundation for later field management and yield improvement," Wang added while inspecting the sowing progress.

Farmworkers cooperate tacitly in the fields, arranging pea seeds, ridging, sowing and covering soil in one go to seize the farming season. "The soil moisture is good this year. We expect a per mu yield of about 550 kilograms of fresh peas, which can be harvested around June 15, followed by quick sowing of fresh corn," Wang said. Fresh peas, which meet the demand of consumption upgrading, have a short growth cycle, simple management and stable yield, without affecting the next crop.

To ensure a bumper harvest, technical personnel from the Qiqihar Comprehensive Experimental Station of the National Edible Bean Industry Technology System provide on-site guidance throughout the process. Shen Huibo, Director of the Qiqihar Comprehensive Experimental Station, knelt down to check the soil and explained new variety characteristics and mechanized planting key points to farmers. "We provide full-process technical guidance for fresh peas from variety selection to cultivation, and will regularly guide production during the growth period to support the early-maturing fresh pea industry," Shen said.

This year, the cooperative is the first in Heilongjiang Province to try planting 7,800 mu of fresh peas, the largest scale in the province, and take the lead in promoting the "fresh pea + fresh corn" relay planting model. After harvesting peas, the straw is crushed and returned to the field to fertilize the soil, then fresh corn is sown, achieving perfect "staggered peaks" between the two crops.

"This model can improve the quality of fresh corn, reduce chemical fertilizer use and increase its added value, with a per mu benefit of over 1,200 yuan," Wang noted. Xinhua News Agency pointed out that this relay planting method helps regulate the soil microecological environment and protect black soil, as crushed pea straw ferments naturally into organic fertilizer, releasing nutrients and improving soil structure, while endowing fresh corn with a unique glutinous, fragrant and sweet taste.