2018|Third Prize for Science and Technology Progress in Henan Province
Watermelon is one of the main crops in Henan Province, with an annual planting area of about 490000 acres and an output of 17 million tons, ranking the first in China. It is an important industry for melon farmers in some poor areas of our province to get rid of poverty and get rich. The healthy development of watermelon industry is of great significance to the poverty alleviation and rural revitalization of the main watermelon producing areas in our province. At present, the problems of non-standard cultivation technology, excessive and blind application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, poor quality and low comparative benefit in watermelon production have become the bottleneck restricting the development of watermelon industry in our province. Guided by the national demand for the development of high-quality fruits and vegetables, supported by the national modern agricultural industrial technology system and the special fund of Science and Technology Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences, this project focused on the theme of green yield increase and high efficiency of watermelon, comprehensively applied the principles and technologies of genetics, physiology, cultivation, soil and other disciplines, and achieved the following results after more than 10 years of research:
1. A number of watermelon rootstock varieties with resistance and resistance and high yield have been bred, integrated with the technical regulations of grafting cultivation, which guarantees the green growth of watermelon production in our province from the root：a total of 316 watermelon rootstock germplasm were collected and evaluated, 7 watermelon rootstock resources were screened out and 1 rootstock material was created. Four new watermelon rootstock varieties with strong resistance to disease and stress, wide adaptability and little influence on watermelon varieties were cultivated. A set of watermelon seed germination box and LED plant lamp were developed, 2 patents were authorized, and 2 standards of watermelon grafting cultivation technology were formulated. The new varieties and grafting cultivation technology were demonstrated and promoted in a large area of the country, which greatly reduced the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in watermelon production and laid a fundamental foundation for the green growth of watermelon production in our province.
2. The green and efficient watermelon cultivation technology system with green as the core has been integrated, which provides technical support for the safe and high quality production of watermelon in our province: it has integrated and created a green and efficient watermelon cultivation technology system focusing on green or pollution - free producing area - grafting and seedling cultivation - formula fertilization - water and fertilizer coupling - green comprehensive prevention and control of diseases and pests. It has formulated Henan provincial local standards of open land pollution-free watermelon production technical regulations and green food watermelon production technical regulations, which have been demonstrated and promoted in large areas of our province. It has significantly improved the quality and safety of watermelon in our province and provided important technical guarantee for green production of watermelon in our province.
3. Integrated to create the watermelon cultivation technology system with light and simplified as the core, which provides technical support for the large-scale and efficient cultivation of watermelon in our province: 7 watermelon and rootstock varieties suitable for light and simplified cultivation in open land of Henan Province were selected, 4 sets of mechanized agricultural machinery and tools suitable for simple cultivation in open land of Henan Province were introduced and selected, 2 sets of agricultural machinery and tools were developed and 2 patents were authorized, and a set of integrated water-fertilizer integration in open land watermelon cultivation and agronomic management technology for simple cultivation of open land watermelon in Henan Province were integrated. Integrated to create a light, simple and efficient cultivation technology system of open field watermelon with the focus on suitable watermelon and rootstock varieties - intensive grafting and seedling cultivation - sparse planting and cultivation - mechanical land preparation and film fertilization - water and fertilizer integration - light and simple agronomic management, formulated the local standard of Henan Province simple cultivation technology regulations of open field watermelon, and large-scale demonstration and promotion. Saving investment of about 840 yuan per mu, saving cost and increasing efficiency effect is remarkable, which provides strong technical support for realizing the intensive large-scale and efficient planting of watermelon in our province.
The results authorized the use of 4 new patents, cultivated 4 new varieties, issued 5 provincial and local standards, published more than 20 papers. Research results and 2014-2016 cumulative demonstration and promotion across the country about 500,000 mu, increased income and savings of about 593 million yuan, promoted the healthy development of our country watermelon industry, and achieved significant economic, social and ecological benefits.