Joining Forces with Yuan Longping's Research Team: Zoomlion Brings Its Strengths to Bear on the Agricultural Market

On January 6, 2015, China's National Hybrid Rice Engineering Technology Research Center hosted the official launch of a demonstration project organized by Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Development Co., Ltd. on agricultural-agronomic integration in the production of super-high-yielding hybrid rice in Changsha, Hunan. The "father of hybrid rice," Yuan Longping, of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Vice Governor of Hunan province Zhang Shuofu, Director of the Provincial Agricultural Department Wang Loufang and Zhan Chunxin, chairman of Zoomlion, attended the launch ceremony.

 

Joining Forces to Tackle Research on High-Yield Rice

New breakthroughs have already been made in research into super-high-yielding hybrid rice in China, with average yields per mu exceeding 1000 kg. However, there is a lack of effective integration of agriculture and agronomy in the planting, cultivation, harvesting and drying steps of production, and the efficiency of rice varieties is not being maximized, meaning farmers are not enjoying ever-higher levels of harvests. 

"Agricultural production includes selection and breeding, planting and harvesting, product processing and other interconnected organic operations and processes, and only addressing one or several links will not effectively ensure national food security. Emphasizing mechanization of auxiliary production will help improve the level and quality of rice production," an expert from the National Hybrid Rice Engineering Technology Research Center explained. 

Back in 2013, the Zoomlion agricultural equipment manufacturing R&D team joined forces with a hybrid rice research team led by Yuan Longping to launch the National Hybrid Rice Agricultural-Agronomic Integration Project and delivered the first batch of machines from the project to the National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center. 

During the bilateral cooperation, the national hybrid rice R&D team used their technical experience in rice breeding, cultivation, planting, etc., to guide and help the Zoomlion team to produce equipment more suited to the requirements of high-yield rice farming. The Zoomlion team began with product design and development for the rice seedling cultivation phase and carried out continuous testing and improvements to enhance the reliability and applicability of its farm machinery and equipment. 

Zoomlion has already created solutions for the mechanization of the entire production process, from raising seedlings, tilling, planting and field management, to harvesting and post-processing, with particular emphasis given to ensuring tractors, planting machines, harvesters, dryers and other products use advanced technology and are reliable in accordance with the agronomic characteristics of high-yielding rice and fully meet national high-yielding rice cultivation, planting and harvesting requirements. 

Creating a New Model for Agricultural-Agronomic Integration in Super-High-Yielding Rice Production

Zoomlion joining forces with China's National Hybrid Rice Engineering Technology Research Center to set up an agricultural-agronomic expert group and launch a demonstration project on agricultural-agronomic integration in the production of super-high-yielding hybrid rice has been of great significance for accelerating and promoting deeper integration and development of agricultural and agronomic rice production in Hunan province and helping modernize Hunan's agricultural industry. 

"Grain yield is obviously important, but making sure farmers can harvest all their grain is just as important." At the launch ceremony, Yuan Longping pointed out that from this point of view, both sides need more sincere cooperation in order to conduct effective research into agricultural-agronomic integration and improve overall machine harvesting efficiency. 

"This project has far-reaching significance that will benefit the country and its people. While ensuring early completion of the 'hundreds, thousands and tens of thousands' high-yield demonstration project's ultimate goals, we will also further promote agricultural-agronomic integration, help produce technology systems adapted to agriculture and agronomy so as to help farmers continue to achieve high-yield harvests," Yuan Longping said.

Hunan Provincial Agricultural Department Director Wang Luofang stated that the "hundreds, thousands and tens of thousands" project is a national food production technology project for improving the livelihood of the people and is supported by the Premier. Agricultural-agronomic integration can provide strong support and a solid guarantee for grain harvests, and the effective combination of both will promote high-yield harvests. The demonstration project on agricultural-agronomic integration in the production of super-high-yielding hybrid rice, which uses the "hundreds, thousands and tens of thousands" project as a carrying platform, promises to provide better solutions and more effective support for the development of agricultural mechanization in Hunan province, which will make due contributions to realizing a new leap forward in the development of China's modern agricultural industry and the development of agricultural mechanization in Hunan province.