The reporter learned from Northwest A&F University on May 19 that the Qin poplar and Northwest poplar series varieties selected by the Fan Junfeng breeding team of the school's College of Forestry were recently selected into the recommended catalogue of improved varieties of afforestation and grass planting in the "Three Norths" project of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
Qin Poplar 1-7 and Northwest Poplar 1-3 are 10 new poplar varieties selected by Fan Junfeng's breeding team through artificial hybridization for nearly 20 years. At present, the new varieties have passed the examination and approval of improved varieties of forest trees in Shaanxi Province, including No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 of Populus chinensis, No. 2 of Northwest Populus have passed the examination and approval of national improved varieties of forest trees, and No. 3 of Northwest Populus has passed the certification of national improved varieties of forest trees.
The main characteristics of P. chinensis and poplar are tall tree body, straight and complete trunk, rapid growth, high survival rate of cuttings and seedlings and afforestation, strong stress resistance, wide adaptation, and good fast-growing timber varieties, suitable for cultivating large-diameter industrial timber. Among the 10 varieties, except for No. 1 and No. 3 of Northwest Populus, the remaining 8 varieties are all male, do not bear fruit, and no seeds mature and cause pollution to the environment, which is a new generation of environmentally friendly excellent varieties of Populus glacia.
▲Qin Baiyang No. 3
According to Fan Junfeng, through seedling and afforestation experiments, it was found that the seedling growth rate of Qin poplar and poplar northwest poplar cuttings can reach more than 85%, and the survival rate of afforestation can reach more than 90%. In regional experiments, P. chinensis and P. northwestern have strong stress resistance and can grow well in the whole territory of Shaanxi, Xining City of Qinghai, Manas County of Xinjiang, Huairen City of Shanxi Province and other places.
▲Northwest Yang No. 2
▲Poplar chinensis and poplar seedlings in Northwest China
From 2014 to 2024, the production units in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Qinghai, Xinjiang and other provinces and regions have been approved by applying for the National Forestry and Grassland Administration's scientific and technological achievements promotion project and the improved seed seedling subsidy (cultivation) project, and the special seedling funding of Qin Populus and Northwest Populus has been nearly 8 million yuan, with a total of nearly 8 million seedlings, which has produced good economic, ecological and social benefits.
▲Shaanxi Zhouzhi County variety comparison test forest
The northwest region of the mainland accounts for more than 40% of the total land area, with fragile ecology and serious desertification, and is a key construction area of the "Three Norths" shelterbelt system construction project. Native poplar species grow slowly and have low productivity. It is of great production, ecological and social significance to cultivate new poplar varieties suitable for growth in this area, which are fast-growing and highly resistant.
▲ Xining City, Qinghai City, variety regional cultivation experimental forest
▲Regional cultivation experimental forest of varieties in Manas County, Xinjiang
Source: Science and Technology Daily