Innovative seed capital of nation eyes flower tourism

Seed producers in Suzhou district of Jiuquan in Gansu province, whose vegetable seed output meets 50 percent of domestic demand and accounts for half of the nation's seed exports, have achieved significant breakthroughs in technological challenges while driving new growth across agriculture, tourism and other sectors through industrial integration.

"Last year, we focused primarily on tackling seed diseases, particularly those that infect tomatoes and cucumbers," said Ta Zhimin, director of the research department at Jiuquan-based CNUS Vegetable Seeds Inc.

Seed diseases have been a major issue that impacts seed quality, especially during the export process, Ta said. "These technological advancements are crucial for our export business," he said, adding that stringent seed quality requirements in many overseas markets may lead to outright rejection if certain diseases are detected, leading to significant economic losses for producers.

In this regard, CNUS has prioritized chemical and physical seed treatments that can protect seeds from those diseases and has developed a robust disease detection system, Ta said.

"Previously, untreated infected seeds could disrupt farmers' cash flow due to poor yields. Now, this issue has been largely resolved by the cutting-edge technologies," he said.

Benefiting from a supportive research and development environment and unique geographic and climatic advantages, Suzhou district has gradually emerged as a key production hub for flower and vegetable seeds in China.

Hosting over 30 research-capable enterprises, the district has pledged full support for large-scale, high-potential local seed companies in developing independent brands and securing funding for R&D in the seed industry, it said in an official document.

Similarly, Jiuquan Lanxiang Horticultural Seedling Co Ltd has also made strides in flower seed research, focusing on wildflower development, commercialization of traditional flowers and breeding of new varieties.

The Suzhou-based company's annual production of flower seeds now stands at 400 metric tons, accounting for 40 percent of the national market. Its products, which include over 3,000 herbaceous flower varieties, are sold both within and outside the country, with annual exports of about 100 tons.

To address challenges such as insufficient diversity, severe variety degradation, and urgent needs for germplasm resource preservation, the company has established a herbaceous flower germplasm resource bank housing over 3,700 varieties, with a cultivation area spanning 12,000 square meters.

"The effort is expected to help ensure a stable supply of breeding resources, preserve diversity and quality, and lay a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the industry," said Chen Fengxiang, chairman of the horticultural company.

By introducing advanced international technologies and integrating them with its own research, Lanxiang now holds 43 patents, 46 trademarks and three copyrights, it said.

In terms of industrial integration, Lanxiang has combined the flower seed industry with tourism, actively promoting the niche sector of flower tourism. To date, the company has completed over 200 flower garden design projects and developed a slew of flower-themed tourism complexes, creating an emerging network of scenic routes, Chen said.

"Our goal is to establish Jiuquan as a renowned flower tourism destination in China, driving regional tourism development, fostering the integration of primary, secondary and tertiary industries, and eventually enhancing its economic and cultural influence," Chen added.

Li Sixuan contributed to this story.