A conference on genetic improvement and the application of salt-alkali-tolerant crops was held in Yining, Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, from June 25 to 26, highlighting links between basic research, breeding innovation and application.

Hosted by Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU), the conference focused on salt-alkali tolerance mechanisms, key gene discovery, variety development and demonstration-based land improvement. Leading scholars attended or delivered reports, while experts and industry representatives discussed crops including rapeseed, rice, soybean, cotton, wheat and quinoa.

Participants visited demonstration sites in Gongliu county, including rapeseed-wheat and rapeseed-corn rotation bases and a medium- to severe-salt-alkali improvement site, to observe crop growth and soil improvement effects.

Wang Jianhong from HZAU said salt-alkali land use is important to national grain and oil security. He called for stronger basic research and the faster transfer of research results and localized field experiments, so research can move from individual breakthroughs to systematic improvement.

In his closing remarks, Cao Xiaofeng, a scholar from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said future work should give salt-alkali land improvement "the wings of AI and digitalization" and integrate good fields, varieties, methods and machinery.

Fu Tingdong, a scholar from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at HZAU, said the conference broke the limits of single-crop and single-discipline research, and should help build a regular national platform for collaboration.

Experts attend the national conference on salt-alkali-tolerant crops in Yining. [Photo/new.hzau.edu.cn]