Smart Vegetable Seedling Raising Demonstration Site Observation and Training Session Held in He County, Anhui Province

An observation and training session focusing on the benchmark site for intelligent vegetable seedling raising and high-efficiency cultivation under Anhui’s "1+5" Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance opens in He County, dubbed China’s Hometown of Vegetables, on 6 June.

The event gains backing from the National Vegetable Industry Technology System and Anhui Provincial Vegetable Industry Technology System, with joint guidance provided by the Vegetable Research Institute of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the People’s Government of He County. Anhui Xinyuan Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., the developer of the benchmark demonstration site, offers full support for the organisation and delivery of the whole session. Two academicians from the Chinese Academy of Engineering attend the event to offer on-site guidance. More than one hundred delegates from the national and provincial vegetable industry technology systems, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, municipal and county agricultural and rural authorities, modern agricultural operators and large-scale growers take part in the gathering.

Delegates carry out on-site inspections at two core bases inside He County Taiwanese Investment Park, namely Lüyuan Greenhouse and the facilities run by Anhui Xinyuan Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. At the intelligent seedling raising and experimental zones operated by Xinyuan Agriculture, participants inspect integrated demonstrations covering a host of advanced technologies. These include eco-friendly solutions to tackle continuous cropping obstacles in vegetable plots, soil improvement using Xizhao organic fertiliser, the deployment of light-conversion films, mechanical grafting for watermelons and muskmelons, no-till cultivation techniques and single-row planting methods for tomatoes.

Since taking charge of the benchmark site construction project under Anhui’s "1+5" Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance in December 2025, the enterprise has teamed up with alliance members including the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University and Huazhong Agricultural University, alongside specialists from the national vegetable industry technology system and the Vegetable Research Institute of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences. A total of 82 new vegetable varieties have been trialled and showcased, while over 10 innovative technologies such as transplanting machinery have been put into integrated application. High-standard intelligent seedling raising and experimental facilities spanning 120,000 square metres have been completed, with an annual output capacity reaching 150 million robust seedlings. Clear improvements are visible in the management of continuous cropping barriers at the demonstration zones, with looser soil structure and healthier crop growth observed. New varieties of tomatoes, chillies and melons display vigorous development, winning full recognition from attending academicians and specialists.

A research fellow delivers an address at the training session, pointing out that the vegetable sector stands as a characteristic and advantageous livelihood-focused industry across Anhui Province. Large-scale continuous planting within protected vegetable farms has given rise to continuous cropping obstacles, which hold back the sustainable growth of the sector. A dedicated soil conservation research team under the National Vegetable Industry Technology System carries out joint research to tackle this bottleneck. Supported technically by the Vegetable Research Institute of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the benchmark site operator has delivered solid work in introducing improved crop varieties, green soil remediation, intelligent seedling raising and labour-saving cultivation practices. The site has formed a replicable and promotable practical model for addressing continuous cropping difficulties province-wide. Invitations are extended to the two academicians and all specialists to share professional advice, and the benchmark site is expected to sustain its exemplary role and accelerate the roll-out of advanced agricultural technologies across local growing areas.

The academic report session is hosted by a senior researcher from the Vegetable Research Institute of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences. One academician delivers a keynote speech themed China’s Vegetable Industry and Relevant Science and Technology, analysing resource and environmental constraints facing the sector as well as viable pathways for high-quality development. The address confirms that technological innovation acts as the fundamental driver to resolve continuous cropping barriers and advance the green transformation of vegetable farming. The second academician presents a special report centred on Trichoderma-based Agriculture, elaborating on how Trichoderma strains improve soil quality, suppress soil-borne plant diseases and boost crop growth, together with mature outcomes from industrialised application of the fungus. The two keynote speeches combine high-level strategic analysis with practical farming guidance, bringing cutting-edge ideas and actionable technical solutions to grassroots agricultural technicians and large growers. The session receives warm applause and active exchanges throughout.

The launch of this observation and training event highlights the platform functions of Anhui’s "1+5" Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance in fostering greener, higher-quality growth within the local vegetable industry. It also illustrates the capacity of Anhui Xinyuan Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., a leading agricultural enterprise, to translate high-end scientific research results into on-site applications and drive industrial upgrading across the region. Delegates commit themselves to learning from the benchmark demonstration site, speeding up the popularisation and adoption of new varieties, technologies and operational modes, and pushing Anhui’s vegetable industry forward along greener, seed-improved and intensive development lines.