The yield of barley at the Xinrong family farm in Rudong county, Nantong exceeds 600 kilograms every 0.67 hectare – far more than the typical yield of just 350 kg – according to an official report issued on May 17.

The family farm is a demonstration base of the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS). A team engaged in crop cultivation has successfully developed an innovative technology which can help save costs and increase yields.

The farm was chosen as a display area to verify the production effect. In addition to the over 20 mu (1.33 hectares) of barley, the technology was also applied to a large area of wheat, covering more than 100 mu, which is also growing well.

A new machine which can meet the requirements of the technological application is the key to the research. It can remove straw, apply fertilizers and sow seeds all within one process, as well as press the soil and connect with the canal system in the field, said a JAAS researcher.

It can help ensure a high yield of crops sowed in the non-straw area, and promote their thriving growth by alternately planting in broad and narrow lines.

"This technology helps increase efficiency, save fertilizer costs and reduce energy consumption. We will apply the technology in a wider range during the autumn sowing and promote it to surrounding farms," said the owner of the family farm.

Experts carry out a test on the land at Xinrong family farm in Rudong county, Nantong. [Photo/ntfabu.com]