Pan Dingfang, head of the farm, told the reporter that they are going to grow rice in the strawberry greenhouse, which is the first time that the farm adopts paddy-upland rotation to improve land utilization and soil quality.

 

 

“Rotation can improve soil quality by depleting fertilizer in the soil,” said Pan Dingfang. As strawberry is a dry crop and needs multiple fertilizers during its growth cycle, the dry soil in the greenhouse will contain excess fertilizer after years of planting and breed soil-borne diseases that can affect the yield and quality of strawberry next year. Therefore, the farm invited experts to provide technical guidance on the rotation.

 

"After planting rice, the soil becomes 'healthier', which will lay a foundation for a bumper harvest of strawberry next season," Pan Dingfang said.

 

 

Planting rice is not as profitable as planting strawberry, but it doesn’t need extra fertilization. Rice straw can create a protective layer for the land and increase organic matters after returning to the field. In this mode, plant diseases and pests will decrease and less pesticide will be used, so as to enhance safety of agricultural products.