As the old saying goes, “Rain at the End of Heat turns every grain into rice.” As the Chushu solar term approaches, rice paddies across Fujian are awash in golden hues. On August 20, the 2024 “Amazing Humic Acid” Field‑to‑Table Harvest Tour made its way to Xushi Town, Jianyang District, Nanping City, Fujian Province.
Shortly after 8 a.m., more than a hundred rice farmers from the counties and cities surrounding Jianyang had gathered, eagerly anticipating the on-site yield‑estimation harvest. They each offered their assessments of the fields’ cultivation management and expected yields.
This highly anticipated plot is planted with “regenerated rice.” Today’s on‑site harvest marks the first‑crop harvest of this variety, and many farmers who have not yet tried growing regenerated rice are eager to learn about its yield and grain quality.
According to Wen Liangying, director of the Agricultural Technology Extension Station at the Jianyang District Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, ratoon rice refers to a cropping system in which, after the first-season rice has matured, the upper portion of the plants is harvested, while the lower rhizomes are left intact to sprout and regrow, eventually heading and ripening again. This cultivation method not only saves labor and effort but also boosts rice yields, thereby increasing farmers’ incomes. To achieve a yield of one ton per mu with ratoon rice, stringent requirements must be met regarding variety selection, field management, and especially nutrient supply.
Zhang Junhua, General Manager of Jianyang Hefeng Agricultural Inputs Co., Ltd., explained that six years ago he partnered with Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Co., Ltd. to apply the university’s mineral‑source activated humic acid fertilizer series to tea trees. This practice has enhanced both the taste and yield of local rock teas while also strengthening tree vigor. In recent years, as agricultural authorities at various levels have promoted the cultivation of ratoon rice, Hefeng Agricultural Inputs, in collaboration with Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Co., Ltd., has conducted extensive field trials and demonstrations, successfully scaling up the use of humic acid‑based fertilizers in ratoon rice production.
With experts from the local Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and visiting farmers in attendance, the combine harvester emptied the granary, officially commencing the on‑site yield measurement for the ratoon rice plot.
During a break in the harvest, Wu Shourong, General Manager of Business at Jianyang Hefeng Agricultural Inputs Co., Ltd., explained that this on‑site yield measurement was conducted on two fields. The first field was harvested using the locally customary fertilization regime—base fertilizer plus topdressing—while the second field was harvested after a single application of Nongda’s humic‑acid formulated fertilizer. Both fields were planted with the same ratoon rice variety, sown at the same time, and managed with uniform pest‑control practices and crop‑management protocols. The purpose of this on‑site yield assessment is to jointly verify whether Nongda’s humic‑acid‑based formulated fertilizer can indeed boost yields in ratoon rice.
“Fertilizer is the ‘food’ of crops; how to use it effectively while reducing application rates and maximizing efficiency has always been a priority for us, with the well-being of farmers in mind,” said Liu Jianbin, Director of the Jianyang District Supply and Marketing Cooperative Union. “Based on the on-site demonstration of Nongda Fertilizer’s humic acid fertilizer, the plants are robust, the leaves are vibrant green, and the granules are plump—let’s look forward to the final field‑test results!”
Xu Liyang, an agronomist at the Key Laboratory of Humic Acid Fertilizers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, collected two mature rice panicles—one from the demonstration plot and one from the control plot. Based on the grain-setting rate, the maturity of the rice grains, and the degree of yellowing of the leaves, it is evident that the rice in the demonstration plot exhibits markedly superior appearance compared to that in the control plot.
Attentive local farmers also noted differences between the two plots in tillering, effective tillers, and plant height, and they observed a clear distinction in the “sword leaf”—the penultimate protective leaf that determines rice yield. Rice treated with Nongda humic‑acid fertilizers remained lush green at harvest, showing no signs of premature senescence, thus laying a solid foundation for a bountiful yield.
Chen Xin, the business manager of Shandong Nongda Fertilizer Co., Ltd. in Nanping, Fujian, told us that, in light of the cultivation characteristics and growth patterns of ratoon rice, the company’s Agricultural Science Institute has developed a high-yield, high-quality fertilizer package through carefully balanced formulations. This product not only improves soil quality and enhances yield but also delivers dual benefits—providing both immediate and long-lasting nutrient release—while enabling a single application to support two harvests, thereby helping rice remain vigorous and avoid premature senescence at maturity.
Under the joint supervision of experts and farmers, staff harvested rice from two plots, loaded it onto trucks, measured it, weighed it, and performed the necessary calculations.
Ultimately, the control plot using conventional compound fertilizer plus a second topdressing yielded 1,569 jin per mu, while the demonstration plot applying Nongda’s humic acid fertilizer package achieved 1,791 jin per mu. Compared with the conventional compound fertilizer, Nongda fertilizer increased yield by 222 jin per mu.
Liu Yongqiang, Director of the South China Region at Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Co., Ltd., said: “This on‑site yield measurement in Jianyang, Fujian, represents the second rigorous evaluation of our fertilizer’s performance on ratoon rice. Last time, in Gao’an, Jiangxi, we demonstrated its yield‑boosting effects on ratoon rice. This round in Jianyang has brought those results into even sharper focus. Moving forward, Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer will continue to organize field trials, conducting on‑site yield assessments for mid‑season rice, late‑season rice, double‑cropped rice, and the second harvest of ratoon rice. We also plan to return to this same plot to evaluate the actual yield of the second crop.”
The 2024 “Amazing Humic Acid” Field‑Based Harvest Event—Jianyang Station has successfully concluded. With this event now wrapped up, it marks the beginning of the next round of on‑site harvest demonstrations. Moving forward, the initiative will continue to bring participants into the fields, showcasing the outstanding performance of Nongda humic acid. Let’s come together to witness a bountiful harvest!
