Technology empowers smart tropical agriculture in S China's Hainan

Rare tropical plants from around the world are thriving at a tropical plant germplasm resources sci-tech industrial park in Yunlong town, Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. The park houses germplasm resources from 4,236 rare tropical plant species, including 769 rare tropical fruit varieties.

Focused on germplasm conservation and smart breeding, the park has established a repository covering around 600 mu (40 hectares), where rare tropical plant germplasm is systematically collected, catalogued, and preserved, according to Zhang Shaohua, the park's director.

Seedlings are raised on shelves at a tropical plant germplasm resources sci-tech industrial park in Yunlong town, Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo courtesy of Yunlong town government)

The park runs a plant tissue culture facility using smart agriculture, applying molecular and cellular biology techniques to breeding. This dramatically accelerates breeding cycles while reducing seedling costs, boosting quality and efficiency in developing improved tropical plant varieties.

Seedlings are raised on shelves at a tropical plant germplasm resources technology industrial park in Yunlong town, Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo courtesy of Yunlong town government)

It is also pushing the frontiers of experimental space breeding, using radiation to induce mutations in buds and seeds. The goal is to develop distinctive, high-quality fruit varieties tailored to Hainan's industry, opening up new avenues for tropical fruit innovation.

A researcher selects seedlings for cultivation at a tropical plant germplasm resources sci-tech industrial park in Yunlong town, Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo courtesy of Yunlong town government)