Around 133 hectares of giant reeds have been harvested these days on the edge of Taklimakan Desert in Tumxuk, a city in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, marking a significant victory to bring ecological and economic gains to the city.
At the city's Dabanshan industrial park, large harvesters were cutting and crushing the giant reeds. The harvest was transported to the park to be processed into plant fiber pulp and fuel, while the crushed roots and leaves were covered with soil to nourish the land.
"The shredded leaves will rot after being watered in the coming year. And then they could fertilize the plant roots," said Ma Guoqing, head of a local giant reed planting base.
The giant reed is a perennial plant usually suited to warm and wet southern climates. However, the oasis No. 1 variety, developed by the China National Engineering Research Center of Juncao Technology, has been bred to withstand drought and saline-alkali soil.
Following a successful trial in 2024, the plants have achieved a survival rate of nearly 90 percent, with yields exceeding almost 15 tons per hectare, and they can be harvested continuously for 15 to 20 years.
"When we first started reclaiming the land, stepping on the ground made a crunchy sound due to the salt. Now, the salinity has decreased significantly. The soil can be crumbled in hand, whereas it was too hard to break in the past," Ma said.
At present, with the introduction of processing enterprises for giant reed fiber pulp and fuel, Tumxuk is turning this desert greenery into a sustainable industry, achieving a "win-win" for both the environment and the local economy.
Desert giant reed brings ecological, economic gains in Xinjiang's Tumxuk
