Briefing on the Results of the Corn Seedling Cutting Yield Increase Technology Held in Langfang
On September 25, 2016, the Briefing on the Results of the Corn Seedling Cutting Yield Increase Technology (2016) was held at the base of the Langfang Pangu Corn Seedling Cutting Yield Increase Research and Experiment Center. Professor Zhang Fenglu, head of the center's scientific research collaboration group, doctoral supervisor at Hebei Agricultural University and corn expert, conducted a scientific yield measurement of 4 varieties in the center's No. 2 experimental field. Mr. Su Baojian, the inventor of the technology, provided on-site guidance and answered questions from visitors. More than 20 news media outlets from the central level and related organizations participated in the on-site observation and interviews.
The center's No. 2 experimental field covers a total of 12 mu, divided evenly into 2 blocks, sown respectively with two varieties, Jinrui 88 and Nongda 372. Sowing took place on May 16, and seedling cutting on June 5. Each was designed with two replicates, totaling 4 control groups and 4 seedling-cutting groups. Yield measurement results: the Jinrui 88 control group yielded 325.5 jin per mu, while the seedling-cutting group yielded 524 jin per mu, an increase of 61.2%; the Nongda 372 control group yielded 931 jin/mu, while the seedling-cutting group yielded 1018 jin/mu, an increase of 9.5%. The center's No. 1 experimental field was harvested on August 27. Two varieties, Heyu 187 and Zhengdan 958, were planted. Among them, the Heyu 187 control group yielded 972.5 jin per mu, while the seedling-cutting group yielded 1111.2 jin, an increase of 14.3%; the Zhengdan 958 control group yielded 812.5 jin per mu, while the seedling-cutting group yielded 1036.1 jin, an increase of 27.5%.
Professor Zhang Fenglu believes that after rigorous yield measurement, the yield increase from corn seedling cutting is an indisputable fact. The extent of the yield increase is related to many factors such as variety, soil and fertilizer conditions, and meteorological and climatic conditions. The scientific theoretical basis and reasons for the yield increase remain to be further studied and explored in practice.
As early as 40 years ago in 1976, Mr. Su Baojian discovered the phenomenon that corn seedling cutting can increase yield. In 1975, Americans discovered this phenomenon and conducted a 3-year experimental observation at the University of Minnesota, with yield increases in the experimental group ranging from 9.4% to 29.31%. Why this experimental result was not later promoted and applied is unknown; it is speculated to be related to the lack of corresponding mechanical means.
After Mr. Su left his job in 2012, he devoted himself to observational research on corn seedling cutting for yield increase. After obtaining preliminary observational data, in order to facilitate large-scale promotion and application, he spent another two years inventing and developing a corn seedling cutting machine, and obtained a national patent.
In 2015, the corn seedling cutting technology attracted the attention of relevant central departments and relevant provincial and municipal leaders. The leader in charge of agriculture in Hebei Province visited the base many times for observation and guidance, and the Corn System Office of the Ministry of Agriculture also sent experts to inspect. They affirmed that corn seedling cutting has the effect of resisting drought and lodging, while regarding yield increase, they stated that rigorous experimental observation was needed.
In the spring of 2016, Professor Liu Chunji, Australia's chief agricultural scientist, visited the base and believed that a yield increase from corn seedling cutting was theoretically possible. Under the guidance of Professor Liu Chunji, the center cooperated with Professor Zhang Fenglu of Hebei Agricultural University to form a scientific research collaboration group, conducting rigorous scientific observation of all aspects of the corn seedling cutting yield increase technology, laying a solid foundation for the early promotion and application of this technology.
After the base's experimental field achieved a bumper harvest in 2013, the corn seedling cutting technology was gradually spread in the surrounding areas. In 2014, nearly 100 mu of seedling cutting was carried out around the base; in 2015, in Anci District of Langfang City, Bazhou City and individual townships in Tianjin, the trial scale reached more than 1,000 mu. Among them, two farmers, Lu Guixiang and Liu Yushan of Matou Town in Anci District, had cut seedlings for 3 consecutive years, and after the first year's trial cutting brought a bumper harvest, they remained enthusiastic ever since. In 2016, demonstration sites began to be set up in **, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Shandong, Tianjin and other places. From the sampling inspection results during the grain-filling stage, it can be seen that the growth of the demonstration corn all met expectations, and Shanxi Hongdong, which has already been harvested, even achieved a good result of a 34.5% yield increase. Up to now, the total number of corn seedling cutting has reached more than 5,000 mu.