How can autumn grain production be protected against disasters for safety? The Ministry of Agriculture makes a nationwide deployment

Currently, we are in the critical period of “flood control and drought relief from late July to mid-August,” and also the critical period for autumn grain growth and development and disaster prevention and mitigation. On July 26, the Ministry of Agriculture held a national on-site meeting on fighting disasters to secure an autumn grain harvest, deploying and arranging autumn grain field management work focused on disaster prevention and mitigation, emphasizing the need to base efforts on fighting disasters to secure a harvest, make early arrangements, respond scientifically, increase efforts, strengthen measures, solidly carry out the “Strengthen Services, Scientifically Fight Disasters, Win the Autumn Grain Harvest Action,” and go all out to secure an autumn grain harvest.

The meeting pointed out that the summer grain battle was won first, and the early rice harvest was abundant, boosting confidence in winning another harvest. However, the bulk of the year's grain production lies in autumn grain, and there are still multiple hurdles to pass, making the task of fighting disasters to secure a harvest arduous. At present, it is necessary to closely monitor and scientifically assess the adverse effects of El Nino events on autumn grain production. Prepare early for guarding against autumn droughts, high-temperature heat damage, early frost in the Northeast, and the “cold dew wind” in the South. At the same time, it is necessary to guard against major migratory and epidemic pests and diseases such as rice planthoppers, rice leaf rollers, rice blast, corn borers, and potato late blight.

⟦NL> The meeting emphasized that with farming time pressing and the task of disaster prevention and mitigation arduous, agricultural departments at all levels must strengthen guidance and services, highlight scientific and technological disaster resistance, and never relax in grasping autumn grain production. First, grasp “rushing” to ensure area. In the double-season late rice areas of the South, it is necessary to coordinate machinery scheduling well, speed up early rice harvesting, promptly clear the stubble and transplant, achieve timely transplanting, win time for safe full heading, and strive to keep the area stable at last year's level. Second, grasp “management” to increase per-unit yield. Formulate technical plans by region, by crop, and by season, solidly advance high-yield grain creation and yield-increasing model research, accelerate the implementation of regional standardized high-yield and high-efficiency technologies, and promote balanced yield increases over large areas. Third, grasp “resistance” to ensure safety. The Northeast region should highlight guarding against autumn drought and early frost, focusing on “grabbing accumulated temperature and promoting early maturity” to ensure safe maturity; the South should highlight guarding against low-temperature overcast rain and the “cold dew wind” to ensure safe full heading; the Huang-Huai-Hai summer corn production area should highlight guarding against summer and autumn drought to ensure safe maturity; and the Northwest and Southwest regions should highlight guarding against drought and low-temperature overcast rain, preserve soil moisture and protect seedlings, and increase temperature to promote strong growth. Fourth, grasp “prevention” to reduce losses. Give full play to the role of 1209 major pest and disease monitoring regional stations, organize plant protection personnel to go deep into fields to investigate pest conditions, monitor promptly and accurately, vigorously carry out unified prevention and control, joint prevention and joint control, and mass prevention and mass control, and resolutely curb outbreaks and epidemics of pests and diseases.

According to forecasts by meteorological departments, this week, eastern Inner Mongolia, central and northern Northeast China, western South China, and parts of Southwest China will have relatively strong precipitation weather, which may easily cause short-term waterlogging in low-lying farmland. In the Northwest, North China, Huang-Huai, Jiangnan, eastern South China, eastern Sichuan Basin, and other places, high-temperature weather with daily maximum temperatures greater than 35°C will occur, and drought will persist in some areas, which is not conducive to the growth and development of autumn-harvest crops. All localities are reminded to pay close attention to weather conditions, timely harvest mature crops such as early rice and spring wheat, and harvest mature vegetables and fruits, to reduce the impact of adverse weather on yield and quality.