How can wild tangli resources be developed and utilized? See the approach in Simao, Yunnan
Tangli is a local name in Simao, Yunnan. It includes several species and also has several folk names, such as tangli thorn, mountain pear, boshali, sour pear, etc. Tangli belongs to the genus Pyrus in the Rosaceae family and is a wild fruit with great development and utilization value. Tangli is distributed across all prefectures and prefectures of Yunnan, growing in mountain forests and wildlands. In some places it naturally forms forests or patches, with abundant reserves. At present, tangli trees in Yunnan are used as rootstock for cultivated pears, the flowers are eaten as a wild vegetable, and the fruit can ripen on the tree. Local people gather it and eat it fresh: in winter, many local people pick the raw fruit and let it ripen naturally before eating it fresh. As a wild fruit, tangli has good advantages in nutrient content, health benefits, natural flavor, and freedom from pollution. Developing it into an organic product already meets the conditions for organic food in terms of raw materials; it only needs to follow organic food requirements during production. Wild tangli has good adaptability and relatively comprehensive resistance within its natural distribution area, so developing and utilizing tangli will have very good prospects.
1 Natural overview of Simao, Yunnan
Simao is located in the southwest of Yunnan Province, with land borders connecting to Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. The Lancang-Mekong golden waterway runs across its territory, giving it the unique geographical location of "one city linking three countries, one river connecting five neighbors." Within its territory, the Ailao Mountains and Wuliang Mountains gather in cloud and mist, and among the vast, endless layered ridges, forests are lush and rivers beautiful. The surging green sea enriches the high mountain valleys along the Tropic of Cancer, filled everywhere with vigorous green vitality, earning it the reputation of the "green sea pearl" on the Tropic of Cancer. Simao's geographical location lies between 99°10′ to 102°20′ east longitude and 22°02′ to 24°50′ north latitude. The city administers nine counties and one district, with an area of 45,385 sq km, making it the largest city in Yunnan Province. The three major mountain ranges of Ailao, Wuliang, and Nushan (remaining ridges) run north to south through the entire territory. The terrain is high in the north and low in the south. The highest point is Maotou Mountain in the Wuliang Mountains of Jingdong at 3,370 m, and the lowest point is the Tukou River mouth in Jiangcheng at 317 m, with a relative elevation difference of 3,053 m.
Because Simao is affected by terrain and altitude, its vertical climate characteristics are obvious. From low to high, it can be divided in sequence into five climate zone types: north tropical, south subtropical, mid subtropical, north subtropical, and south temperate. Among them: the north tropical zone refers to river valley areas below 800 m in altitude, accounting for 6% of the region's area; the south subtropical zone refers to mountainous areas from 800 to 1,400 m in altitude, accounting for 57%; tropical and subtropical zones account for 63% of the region's area. Because it is located at the northern edge of the South Asian monsoon and constrained by the monsoon, it also forms a monsoon climate with distinct dry and wet seasons. The annual average temperature in various places is 15 to 20.2°C, the average temperature in the coldest month (January) is 10.3 to 13.2°C, the average temperature in the hottest month (May, June) is 17.9 to 24.6°C, and the annual temperature range is 7.9 to 12.3°C. Seasonal differences are small, and the annual frost-free period is more than 315 d. Annual rainfall is 1,100 to 2,780 mm, with most areas receiving 1,300 to 1,600 mm. From November to April of the following year is the dry season, with rainfall accounting for less than 15% of the annual total; from May to October is the rainy season, with rainfall accounting for more than 85% of the annual total. Ximeng County and Jiangcheng County, located on the windward slopes at the front of the two warm, humid air currents from the southwest and southeast, are the areas with the most rainfall in the province, with annual average rainfall of 2,739 mm and 2,766 mm respectively, and maximum rainfall reaching 3,289 mm. The city has more than 150 d of rainfall days, annual relative humidity of 76% to 85%, annual sunshine hours of 1,873.9 to 2,206.3 h, and annual sunshine percentage of 43% to 50%. Simao has no severe cold in winter and no extreme heat in summer, with a mild climate. "The sun rises in the east while it rains in the west" and "one mountain has four seasons, ten li have different skies" are vivid portrayals of Simao's climate characteristics, and it is the best area for wild tangli growth.
Simao's land has the two major characteristics of mountainous areas and hot areas. Whether in high mountains, valleys, hills, or flatlands, the pH value of soil physical and chemical properties is low, mostly red soil, with pH around 4 to 6. There is no alkaline soil, and neutral soil accounts for only 3.33%. Soil organic matter content is rich and the soil is fertile. At the same time, Simao's wild tangli is distributed in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas, far from pollution sources.
2 Status of tangli resources in Simao, Yunnan
Through 4 years of research on tangli, wild tangli in Simao, Yunnan grows in mountain forests, beside ditches, roadsides, tea gardens, watersides, and other places fully exposed to sunlight. The branches bear clustered fruit, and the leaves are evergreen. According to preliminary field surveys, there are three common species of tangli in Simao. These three species have similar growth habits and slightly different fruits, but due to the influence of altitude, climate, and nearby other trees, the species are relatively difficult to distinguish from one another. At the same time, fruits of different sizes and colors may hang on the same tangli tree.
2.1 Biological characteristics of common tangli species in Simao
According to the higher plant illustrated guide and Chinese tree taxonomy classification, the common species of tangli in Simao include Pyrus pashia, Pyrus betulifolia, and fewer Pyrus calleryana. Pyrus pashia is a tree, up to 12 m tall; branches often have spines; branchlets cylindrical, with woolly hair when young. Leaves ovate or long ovate, rarely elliptic, 4 to 7 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide, apex acuminate or acute, base rounded, rarely broadly cuneate, margin bluntly serrate, tomentose when young and then falling off; petiole 1.5 to 3 cm long. Umbellate raceme, with 7 to 13 flowers; diameter 4 to 5 cm, peduncle and pedicels densely tomentose, gradually falling off, glabrous or nearly glabrous in fruit stage; pedicels 2 to 3 cm long; flowers white, diameter 2 to 2.5 cm; stamens 25 to 30, slightly shorter than petals; styles 3 to 5, free, glabrous. Fruit nearly globose, diameter 1 to 1.5 cm, brown, spotted, calyx lobes falling early, fruit stalk 2 to 3 cm long. Pyrus betulifolia is a tree, up to 10 m tall; branches often spiny; branchlets purplish brown, young branches, both sides of young leaves, petioles, peduncles, pedicels, and outside of the calyx tube all bearing gray-white tomentum. Leaves rhombic-ovate or long ovate, 4 to 8 cm long, 2.5 to 3.5 cm wide, base broadly cuneate, rarely nearly rounded, margin sharply serrate, old leaves only slightly tomentose below or nearly glabrous; petiole 2 to 3 cm long. Umbellate raceme, with 10 to 15 flowers; pedicels 2 to 2.5 cm long; flowers white, diameter 1.5 to 2 cm; calyx lobes triangular-ovate; petals ovate; styles 2 to 3, free. Fruit nearly globose, diameter 0.5 to 1 cm, 2 to 3 locules, brown, with pale spots, calyx lobes falling off. Pyrus calleryana is a tree, up to 5 to 8 m tall; branchlets stout, cylindrical, brown, tomentose when young. Leaves broadly ovate or ovate, rarely long elliptic-ovate, 4 to 8 cm long, 3.5 to 6 cm wide, apex acuminate, rarely shortly acute, base rounded or broadly cuneate, margin bluntly rounded-serrate, both sides glabrous; petiole 2 to 4 cm long, glabrous. Umbellate raceme, with 6 to 12 flowers; diameter 4 to 6 cm, peduncle and pedicels both glabrous, pedicels 1.5 to 3 cm long; flowers white, diameter 2 to 2.5 cm; stamens 20, slightly shorter than petals; styles 2, rarely 3, free. Fruit globose, diameter 1 to 2 cm, black-brown, spotted, calyx lobes falling off, with slender fruit stalks.
Simao tangli flowers from mid-January to mid-February, and the flowers are white; it generally only fully grows by September, with a relatively long fruit-setting time of about 7 to 8 months. In September, tangli fruits begin to mature. Tangli fruits can ripen on the tree, or be picked and then ripen naturally. Fully grown tangli fruits also remain on the tree for a relatively long time, and can hang until December to January of the following year. In December or January, in some places one can see the scene of a single tree bearing both fruit and flowers. Tangli leaves remain green year-round. In December, green leaves are still hanging on the treetops; the old leaves have not yet all fallen, and new tender leaves begin to grow.
2.2 Current status of tangli resources in Simao
The distribution of wild tangli is affected by the regional ecological environment, especially changes in terrain; tangli is scattered in distribution and interacts with other species. Each time, selected townships were first visited for interviews, mainly through individual interviews, and on this basis field sampling surveys were conducted. In sampling, subjective sampling and objective sampling were combined. Representative sections were selected as sample plots, and a certain number of quadrats were made to record various quantitative elements of wild tangli. Simao City has 9 counties including Lancang, Jiangcheng, Zhenyuan, and Jinggu. From these 9 counties, Zhentai Township and Gucheng Township in Zhenyuan County and Bi'an Township in Jinggu County were randomly selected for field surveys. The survey contents included terrain, topography, flowering, fruiting, harvesting season, soil, and density and frequency in the vegetation. Wild tangli fruit in Zhenyuan County has relatively many forests and patches, with density in the surveyed sample plots of 0.276 to 0.5, and wild tangli fruit in Jinggu County has relatively many forests, with density in the surveyed sample plots of 0.283 to 0.717.
3 Suggestions for comprehensive development and utilization of tangli
3.1 Utilization of tangli trunk and branch wood
The wood of tangli trunks and branches is diffuse-porous. The wood is dark yellow-brown with a slight red tint, and the distinction between heartwood and sapwood is not obvious; oblique grain; structure very fine, uniform; tends to warp and crack during drying, so drying should be slow; slightly decay-resistant, easy to process, suitable for carving and turning, smooth cut surface, good gloss after painting; easy to glue; high nail-holding power, does not split. It can be used as material for carving and handicrafts, suitable for seals, fittings, abacus beads, tobacco pipes, shuttles, toys, T-squares, curve boards, wooden combs, erhu, etc.
3.2 Research on medicinal aspects
The fruit, branches, and leaves of Pyrus betulifolia are used as medicine to promote digestion and stop diarrhea; the fruit of Pyrus pashia is used as medicine and has the effects of lubricating the intestines and relieving constipation, reducing swelling and relieving pain; the roots and leaves of Pyrus calleryana are used as medicine and have the effects of moistening the lungs and stopping cough, clearing heat and detoxicating, mainly used for dry cough and acute conjunctivitis, and the fruit strengthens the stomach and stops dysentery. Advanced analytical instruments and methods can be used to analyze and determine the roots, leaves, and fruits of tangli, providing a scientific basis for accurately identifying medicinal materials, evaluating their quality, developing medicinal sources, developing production, and formulating quality standards. At the same time, folk single prescriptions and folk remedies should be thoroughly explored, chemical components analyzed, toxicological and pharmacological research conducted, therapeutic effects verified, and promotion, application, and deep processing carried out, turning resource advantages into industrial advantages and making them a new economic growth point.
3.3 Utilization of tangli fruit
After ripening, the whole tangli fruit is black, with a sweet taste and rich nutrition. Ripe tangli contains 0.834% protein, total amino acid content of 33.0 mg/100 g, and relatively rich mineral elements: P 29.0 mg/100 g, K 337.0 mg/100 g, Cu 0.624 mg/100 g, Zn 0.266 mg/100 g, Fe 0.658 mg/100 g, Mn 0.593 mg/100 g, Ca 68.8 mg/100 g, Mg 33.34 mg/100 g, Se 0.096 mg/100 g. Ripe tangli fruit can be eaten fresh as a wild fruit supplementing K and Ca. It can also help people reduce the occurrence of cancer, prevent metabolic disorders and arrhythmia, promote normal development of the pancreas, and avoid anemia, bone lesions, etc. Using ripe tangli fruit to produce organic products such as fruit juice, fruit wine, fruit leather, and jam will have very good health benefits.
The fruit juice production process can be cleaning -> crushing -> screening -> homogenizing -> blending -> sterilizing and canning. The fruit leather production process is cleaning -> crushing -> screening -> homogenizing -> blending and boiling -> spreading on trays -> baking and removing from trays -> finishing -> packaging. The jam production process is cleaning -> crushing -> screening -> homogenizing -> blending and boiling -> canning.
3.4 Utilization of flowers
Wild tangli in Simao flowers from January to February. The petals are white, with 7 to 13 flowers. Tangli flowers can be picked, blanched in water, soaked in water for several hours, and eaten as a wild vegetable. They can be stir-fried with seasonings such as fermented black beans and garlic cloves, or stir-fried with diced ham. Tangli flowers can also be blanched in water, removed, mixed with fried fragrant seasonings, stored in a fresh-keeping bag in the refrigerator, and heated in a microwave before eating. Preserving tangli flowers for sale to distant places can obtain relatively good economic benefits. Its production process is flower screening -> enzyme treatment -> de-astringency -> preservation packaging in preservation liquid.