In a significant leap forward for sustainable agriculture, a groundbreaking bio-based soil amelioration technology has successfully transformed salinized agricultural land in Shanghai, boosting crop yields by up to 178% while minimizing environmental impact. This innovative solution, developed by the Green Technology Bank (Shanghai) Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., offers a promising approach to addressing one of agriculture’s most persistent challenges in coastal regions worldwide.
Shanghai, a megacity situated at the mouth of the Yangtze River, has seen its surrounding agricultural land steadily diminish with urban development. The remaining lands are largely confined to coastal mudflats and a scattering of greenhouses used for cultivating fruits and vegetables. However, these lands face a common challenge: salinization, driven by both natural conditions and intensive cultivation. Within the framework of the WIPO GREEN China Cities Acceleration Project, the Shanghai project, led by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Green Technology Bank (GTB), has identified a green solution to this pressing issue.
At the Shanghai Yuande Fruit and Vegetable Cooperative in Heqing Town, years of enclosed cultivation have left visible scars on the soil surface, accompanied by soil compaction and poor aggregation. Soil salinization disrupts soil structure, diminishing its capacity to retain water and nutrients, and severely undermines crop growth. For the greenhouses of Heqing, there has been an urgent need for a green, low-cost, and easy-to-apply solution to the salinization problem.
To tackle this challenge, the Green Technology Bank (Shanghai) Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. mobilized soil scientists and agronomists for in-depth field research. Considering the specific greenhouse environment and cost factors, the team ultimately adopted a biomass-based material improvement strategy. The core strength of this technology lies in the GTB’s proprietary Special Biomass Thickener (SBT), a formulation of natural organic substances including cellulose, lignin, chitin, algae, and actinomycetes. The technology addresses salinization through a four-fold mechanism:
– Marine active chitosan absorbs soil salts and metal ions, alleviating compaction.
– Plant fermentation liquors regulate soil pH while replenishing beneficial microbes.
– Natural oils form a protective film on seeds, mitigating salt’s inhibitory effects on germination.
– Nanofiber protein and lignin hybrids create a mesh-like structure that improves soil aeration and water retention.
The implementation of this technology at the Heqing greenhouse site has yielded remarkable improvements across multiple dimensions: restored soil structure, substantial yield increases, and enhanced fruit quality. Costs have also been significantly reduced—over 40% lower than conventional chemical methods, while overall project expenditure decreased by 30%.
The successful implementation at the Heqing greenhouses has pioneered a new green technology pathway, offering a replicable model for the sustainable development of facility-based agriculture in Shanghai. As the core technological force in soil amelioration for salinized land in Shanghai, GTB’s practice at the Heqing greenhouses is now poised for expansion into the coastal mudflat areas of Chongming and Jinshan, among others. By doing so, more salinized land can be transformed from an ecological burden into an agricultural resource, offering a scalable solution for the sustainable development of facility agriculture nationwide.
The WIPO GREEN City Acceleration Projects continue to identify and support innovative solutions to environmental challenges around the world, connecting technology providers with those who need them most. This development not only highlights the potential of bio-based technologies in agriculture but also underscores the importance of international collaboration in addressing global environmental issues.