A large stretch of heavily salinized land in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been transformed into productive forage fields through a technology-driven restoration program, offering a model for saline-alkali land rehabilitation in arid regions.

Bachu County in Xinjiang's Kashi Prefecture is one of China's pilot areas for comprehensive saline-alkali land utilization. At a demonstration site in Bachu's Awati Town, forage triticale now grows up to 1.4 meters tall on land that recorded a pH value above 9.0 just six months ago and was previously almost barren.

Local authorities and researchers adopted an integrated treatment approach combining groundwater control, scientific salt reduction, salt-tolerant crop varieties, water-saving irrigation and long-term monitoring.

Researchers from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the salt-tolerant triticale crop has helped reduce soil salinity, curb desertification and expand usable farmland resources after years of research and field trials.

The triticale variety planted in Bachu was developed by the Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The crop is resistant to drought, cold, saline-alkali conditions and sandstorms, making it suitable for arid regions in southern Xinjiang and other parts of northwest China.

Researchers said the cultivation method focuses on improving seedling survival rates and precise water and fertilizer management. Winter and spring irrigation supports crop growth without competing with staple grain production for farmland. After harvest, the land can also be rotated with economic crops such as castor oil plant and tiger nut.

The demonstration base now produces 3.5 to 4 tonnes of triticale per mu (about 50 to 60 tonnes per hectare), according to local agricultural authorities. Officials said future efforts will continue to combine engineering, agronomic, chemical and biological methods to improve saline-alkali farmland and expand the cultivation of salt-tolerant crops.