ISHS Acta Horticulturae 481: International Symposium on Growing Media and Hydroponics
DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPECT OF HYDROPONICS IN CHINA |
| Authors: | Y.X. Xing, X.D. Meng |
| Keywords: | Hydroponics, Development, Prospect, China |
| Abstract:
Modern hydroponic techniques were used in China as early as the 1970's to grow rice and vegetable seedlings. During this period, researchers at Shandong Agricultural University (SAU) developed the “Lu-SC” hydroponics system which was used to grow greenhouse vegetables in the Xinjiang and Shengling oil fields. In the 20 ha devoted to this system, yields were reported to be 135% that of vegetables grown in the open field. In the 1980s, Beijing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), and several Academies of Agricultural Sciences also began research on hydroponics. Currently, the total hydroponic production area is more than 100 ha, mainly concentrated around large cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou (for example, Hongqiao hydroponics center in Shanghai), and oil production areas such as Xinjiang, Daqing, and Shengli. Hydroponics systems used in China include both technically sophisticated systems, such as NFT (nutrient film technique), and DFT (deep flow technique) and systems developed in China to meet local needs. The "Lu-SC" system, the Floating Capillary Hydroponics (FCH) developed by Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Solid Manure Soilless Culture System (SMSCS) developed by CAAS are simple, cheap, and easy-to-operate. The characteristics of these Chinese-developed systems make them competitive with outdoor crops in the large-scale production of fruit and leafy vegetables. Flowers and medicinal plants are cultured on a smaller scale. Specialized institutes and units have been established for hydroponics: the Hydroponics Research Center of Southeast Coast, established in 1986; and the Special Organization for Hydroponics in the Academic Society of Chinese Agricultural Engineering, established in 1985. More than 60 people from 8 nations attended an international symposium on hydroponics held in Hangzhou in 1994. Although a relatively recent introduction to Chinese agriculture, hydroponic cultivation has developed very rapidly in the past several years, and has considerable potential for the future. | |
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