The Nongda Fertilizer Industry’s demonstration and training session on rice cultivation without topdressing was successfully held.

(Reported by Wu Hongyan and Zhang Xiping) To promote the adoption and application of the company’s latest high‑tech product—rice cultivation without the need for topdressing fertilizer—the Nongda Fertilizer Company, in collaboration with the Shandong Provincial Agricultural Technology Extension Center, held a field demonstration and training session on rice cultivation without topdressing in Yutai County, Jining City, Shandong Province, on October 13 and 14. The event was attended by more than 120 participants, including Yin Xiubo, Head of the Coarse Cereals Section at the Shandong Provincial Agricultural Technology Extension Station; Zhou Xuebiao, Deputy Director of the Shandong Rice Research Institute; Li Changjiang, Deputy Director of the Jining Municipal Bureau of Agriculture; as well as experts and leaders from agricultural technology stations across the province, representatives from universities, leading distributors, and large‑scale farmers.

On October 13, the attending experts conducted on-site yield assessments at the Zhangmiao demonstration site in Binhe Subdistrict, Yutai County, and at the Shandong Runnong Seed Industry trial site. The rice in both plots exhibited uniform growth, with well‑developed root systems, sturdy stems, and thick, robust leaves. They showed vigorous tillering, high grain‑setting rates, large panicles with plump grains, and strong lodging resistance, demonstrating overall excellent agronomic traits. Actual field yields reached 544 kg per mu, representing a 5.32% increase over the control. The atmosphere at the observation site was highly enthusiastic, and the owners of both demonstration fields beamed with satisfaction, remarking, “Nongda fertilizer really delivers—enhancing lodging resistance while boosting yields, and eliminating the need for additional topdressing, saving both labor and effort.” Witnessing the fertilization results firsthand, attendees lavished praise on Nongda Fertilizer’s no‑topdressing rice technology, unanimously agreeing to use its product for next year’s rice crop.

On October 14, a training and exchange conference on rice fertilization without topdressing was held at the Shengdu International Convention Center in Jining City. Lu Shouzun, Deputy General Manager of Nongda Fertilizer Industry, pointed out that the traditional approach to rice fertilization combines base fertilizer with multiple topdressings—such as green-up fertilizer, tillering fertilizer, and panicle fertilizer—after transplanting. This method is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and in drought years when irrigation is unavailable, topdressing becomes impossible, thereby hindering the rice’s normal growth. Nongda Fertilizer Industry’s newly launched “fertilization‑without‑topdressing” system is scientifically sound and well‑reasoned: it requires only a single application, eliminating the need for subsequent topdressing, saving labor and simplifying operations. It aligns closely with the national trend toward green agriculture—reducing chemical inputs while boosting efficiency, promoting ecological sustainability, and lowering both labor intensity and costs—and holds great potential for widespread adoption.

At the training session, Chen Shigeng, Technical Director of Nongda Fertilizer Industry, presented a summary report on the 2016 rice no‑replenishment‑fertilization trial and demonstration. He provided a detailed overview of the provincial trial and demonstration plan and the distribution of test sites, and, using multiple evaluation metrics, conducted an in-depth analysis of fertilizer efficacy at three harvested demonstration plots in Jiyang, Juxian, and Yutai. The no‑replenishment‑fertilization approach employed by Nongda Fertilizer Industry yielded remarkable yield increases: in all three demonstration sites, rice yields exceeded those achieved with conventional fertilization. Notably, the Jiyang demonstration field recorded a yield increase of 17.5%, a level of improvement that drew widespread admiration.

Subsequently, Ma Jiaqing, deputy director of the Shandong Provincial Rice Research Institute, presented a report on green rice cultivation and management technologies. He emphasized that to achieve high yields and increased incomes in rice production, fertilization should be tailored to the crop’s nutrient requirements and the soil’s capacity to retain water and nutrients, while also integrating a comprehensive set of cultivation and management practices—namely, superior varieties, high-quality fertilizers, and sound agronomic methods.

Finally, Yin Xiubo, Chief of the Coarse Cereals Section at the Shandong Provincial Agricultural Technology Extension Station, summarized the results of the 2016 rice trial on fertilizer‑free topdressing in Shandong Province and outlined plans for the 2017 rice production trials. Yin Xiubo emphasized that all demonstration sites must conduct their trials strictly in accordance with the pre‑established protocols, thereby enhancing the authenticity, reliability, and scientific rigor of the experiments and laying a solid foundation for generating greater economic benefits for enterprises and farmers alike.

The convening of the Nongda Fertilizer Rice No‑Replenishment‑Fertilization Demonstration and Training Conference showcased the outstanding performance of Nongda Fertilizer’s no‑replenishment‑fertilization approach in boosting both yield and efficiency. It further underscored the company’s sense of social responsibility, guided by its mission to “enable more farmers to use better fertilizers,” while raising awareness of the company and its products and strengthening the confidence of distributors and farmers alike. Taking this opportunity, Nongda Fertilizer will remain true to its original aspirations, forge ahead with determination, continue to leverage its core competitive edge in technological innovation, further enhance its marketing capabilities and agro‑chemical service standards, and earnestly fulfill its social responsibilities, thereby contributing to the advancement of green agricultural development in China.