Strawberry cultivation in Yunnan gets new life: Biodynamic cultivation method helps farmers improve quality and income

The winter strawberry industry in Yuxi, Yunnan has developed rapidly in recent years and has become an important pillar of the local agricultural economy. The current planting area exceeds 8,000 acres, mainly distributed in Jiuxi Town and Hongta District. As the scale of the industry expands, challenges faced by growers such as land degradation, rising costs, and unstable quality have become increasingly prominent.

Industry pain points: Soil degradation and reduced planting efficiency

Many farmers have relied on chemical fertilizers and pesticides for a long time, resulting in serious problems of soil compaction and acidification. Excessive fertilization has resulted in the accumulation of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, a serious lack of soil organic matter, and frequent pests and diseases. The rate of dead seedlings is increasing year by year, and the stress resistance of strawberries is declining. It is common for seedlings to die prematurely after picking the first fruit.

At the same time, the market's requirements for strawberry quality continue to increase, and purchasers have become more stringent in grading fruit quality. The price difference per kg can reach about 10 yuan. The traditional extensive management method can no longer meet the needs of industrial development, and growers are in urgent need of an effective technical solution.

technological innovation: Comprehensive solution for biological vitality cultivation

Jieshi Agricultural Science, in conjunction with local technical service providers, aims to achieve the goal of "guaranteeing capital per crop, sustainable, healthy and high yields". After three years of technology accumulation and practical verification, it has launched a biological vitality cultivation plan of "re-cultivation of old land, weight loss and gain". This program provides full technical support for all key aspects of strawberry planting.:

• Highly efficient base fertilizer technology: By applying slow-release fertilizers with biocalcium and Aiwang, long-term calcium supplementation, soil conditioning and salt reduction can improve fertilizer absorption efficiency, maintain a balanced release of fertility (3-4 months), strengthen seedling vigor, and accelerate growth by 15 days, helping strawberry seedlings slow down in advance and grow neatly. ；

 

• Rapid seedling slowing technology: 5-7 days after transplanting, transplanting protection + Norwegian seaweed root irrigation treatment can quickly promote the germination of new capillary roots, effectively resist transplanting adversity, achieve rapid seedling slowdown and control the rate of transplanted dead seedlings, and reduce the cost of replanting seedlings. ；

 

• Root-promoting and root-nurturing technology: At the beginning of the growth period, fertilize Wujin Green + Norwegian seaweed, live soil to nourish the roots, quickly restore the seedlings, grow neatly, robustly, and vigorously, and can be harvested for a long time without premature aging in the later period. ；

 

• Flower-promoting and fruit-preserving technology: Pre-flowering and post-flowering foliar application of Megafur + Norwegian Seaweed + Fruit Moisturizing Leaf Spray, + root irrigation with Futawan, synergistic treatment, effectively increases the number of flowers by 8%-10%, the male and pistils of the flowers are brighter and thicker, and the fruit setting rate is improved. ；

 

• Adversity Fruit Expansion Technology: During the fruit expansion period, the nutrient supply is strengthened, and Futawang is used for root irrigation. The fruit expands efficiently under adverse circumstances. The flowers are large but not long, and the flowers continue to grow. The fruit is large and not deformed. The flying fruit produces fruit quickly, and the fruit color is bright and the premium is obvious. ；
• Vibrant soil improvement technology: After transplanting and slowing down seedlings and after a large number of fruits are set, apply Tubecon + Norwegian Seaweed per acre to irrigate roots, target the activation of beneficial indigenous microorganisms, loosen the soil, release nutrients, and improve the root environment.

 

   

Comparison of EC values ​​before and after soil improvement

 

Practical results: Cost reduction and revenue improvement achieve double harvest

This program has been used on demonstration households in Yunnan strawberry production areas since 2021. In the past three years, the results have been remarkable. The following is the data for 2023.:

index	Demonstration site (Jieshi plan)	Conventional planting (control)	Range of change
Mu input cost	4000–5000 yuan	7000–8000 yuan	30–40% reduction
Compound fertilizer dosage	9kg/acre	50kg/mu	85% reduction
Dosage of macroelement water-soluble fertilizer	12kg/acre	30kg/acre	60% reduction
Picking end period	May	end of March	Extended by 1 month
Yield per mu	2200kg	2000kg	Increase 10%
average purchase price	14 yuan/kg	11 yuan/kg	Improved by 27%
income per mu	30800 yuan	22,000 yuan	40% increase
Increased benefit per mu	+8800 yuan	—	—

It is worth noting that the demonstration households using this technology will pick 60-65 kg per mu of the first crop per day in 2023, which is more than 20% higher than that of conventional growers (45-50 kg / day). The fruit quality is better and the market competitiveness is stronger.

 

Compared with 2023, fruit harvesters pay more attention to the quality of strawberries in 2024. The price of e-commerce fruits (7-8 mature) is higher. Compared with red fruits (fully ripe) in the same period, the price difference can be doubled. However, due to the influence of the climate that year, the overall output is not high, the phenomenon of crop breakage is common, and most of the benefits are concentrated in the first crop of fruits. The overall stress resistance of the demonstration land is stronger, and normal picking continues. The yield per mu can reach 1,500 kg (the average purchase price is 22 yuan/kg), the fruit yield rate of e-commerce can reach 80%, the income per mu can reach 33,000 yuan, and the input cost per mu remains at around 10,000 yuan (of which the cost of pesticides and fertilizers is about 4,000 yuan). During the same period Other plots that do not use the biological vitality cultivation method are severely cropped, with yields of about 800-1,200 kg (average purchase price 20 yuan/kg), income per mu generally around 20,000 yuan, and input costs per mu generally exceeding 12,000 yuan (of which the cost of pesticides and fertilizers is as high as 5,000-8,000 yuan). Therefore, compared with its conventional plan plots in the same period, the benefits per mu of the demonstration land increased by about 13,000 yuan, and the cost was saved by more than 2,000 yuan, basically achieving a loss of capital and continuous bumper harvests.

Technology promotion: From pilot to regional coverage

By adjusting the fertilizer application structure and increasing the input of organic water-soluble fertilizers, this project has effectively improved the ecological environment around the roots and improved the stress and disease resistance of the roots. At present, the cost per mu of Kieshi nutrition products is about 1,500 yuan, and the cost per mu for ordinary users is about 800 yuan. It has covered about 1,500 acres in the Yunnan strawberry market.

Many growers have continued to reduce the amount of chemical fertilizers and increased organic inputs over three years, and soil conditions have been significantly improved. Compared with the original method of "empirical fertilization, no heavy pouring of chemical fertilizers", the current fertilization structure is more scientific and reasonable, and has been highly recognized by the majority of growers.

future outlook: Promote the sustainable development of the strawberry industry

This project not only brought economic benefits, but more importantly, promoted the concept of healthy planting, improved the soil ecological environment, and laid a solid foundation for the long-term sustainable development of the local strawberry industry. Jiashi Agricultural Science will continue to deepen technical research, optimize water management and fertilization plans, and further promote the development of Yunnan's strawberry industry in a healthy and sustainable direction. Through the "new tillage of old land, reduction of fertilization and efficiency improvement" model, we help growers achieve the goal of maintaining capital, stable investment and high yields in one crop, and provide technical support for the high-quality development of Yunnan's strawberry industry.