Kunyu City of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has started its first-ever oat harvest on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, the largest desert in China.
At a 2,000-mu (about 133 hectares) oat planting base, harvesters are working in circular patterns in the round oat fields.
Oat planting was introduced to the city in April this year, when local farmers used bulldozers to flatten the sand dunes and deployed self-propelled sprinklers to irrigate the fields.
The sprinkler system rotates and sprays water around a central point, functioning like the hands of a clock.
To accommodate to the sprinkler system, the oat fields were also designed in a circular layout.
Alfalfa has been intercropped between the rows of oat crops to enhance soil quality and fertilize the fields.
"Why do we cultivate alfalfa in the desert? Because it improves soil quality and is well-suited for sandy land due to its well-developed root system. Alfalfa can conserve water, prevent wind, fix drifting sand, and enriches the soil," said Xu Zhaoyang, a technical consultant at the oat planting base.
Alfalfa is a drought-resistant, high-quality forage grass that can be harvested three to four times a year. Therefore, intercropping oats with alfalfa increases land utilization, boosts yields, and benefits the environment.
Oats harvested on edge of Taklamakan Desert for first time
