Chinese and Pakistani academic achievements in resistant rootstocks for economic forests and grafted and fodder plants were exchanged at the just finished 4th China-Pakistan Tropical Arid Non-wood Forest Science & Technology Exchange Conference.  Over 500 professionals from China and Pakistan attended the conference simultaneously in Zhengzhou and Gwadar, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Sunday. Starting from 2021, in the Belt and Road Engineering Research Center for Tropical Arid Non-wood Forest, professionals from the Chinese Society of Forestry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited, Yulin Holding Company Limited, University of Karachi, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, and Indus University, etc. are working together on germplasm resource collection and new variety breeding and improved variety seedling propagation.

They have also been engaged in cultivation and demonstration of drought-tolerant and infertile-tolerant economic plants, and technical training.  Supported by the center, a tissue culture laboratory and a seedling nursery have been built in Gwadar, integrating China’s advanced economic forestry technology with Pakistan’s local conditions. At the conference, Chinese and Pakistani researchers shared their latest findings on various topics, including grafting and cutting propagation of improved varieties of Eucommia ulmoides, the potential for transforming timber and non-timber forest products in arid regions of Pakistan. There was a special focus on the propagation of medicinal and oilseed plants, efficient heterologous biosynthesis of plant natural products, and a digital intelligent precision water and fertilizer control system for chestnut.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China