Presentation from Fusuo Zhang from Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security at China Agricultural University on technology transfer in agroecological farming approaches, in the framework of agricultural production in China. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition, held at FAO in Rome on 18-19 September 2014.

1. Research and transfer of Double-high
technology based on agroecological principles
Fusuo Zhang
Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security
China Agricultural University
zhangfs@cau.edu.cn; Sept. 18, 2014, Rome

2. Traditional ecological agriculture successfully fed China in
the past, but can not support the fast increasing population!
Grain production（Million ton）
Population (Million)
Year
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Edited from Wang , 2006
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
-200 0 800 1000 1200 1750 1800 1850 1950 2000
Population (Millions)
Grain production (Million tons)
Organic farming

3. Intercropping, rotation, coupling crop and animal,
( 1911)
multiple cropping and so on
“People in China, who
with brain and brawn,
have successfully and
continuously sustained
large families on small
areas without
impoverishing their
soil. ”

4. The belowground interactions contribute to the
output of an intercropping system up to 50%!
（ Zhang et al., 2001; Li et al. 2003 ）
Wheat/Maize Maize/Faba-bean

5. Crop overyielding and belowground plant-soil
interactions
Resource
quantity and
bioavailability
Resource
quantity and
bioavailability
Grain yield enhanced by 20-40%;
N fertilizer saved by 20%, P fertilizer by 12%
(Li et al., 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005; Zhang & Li, 2003; Li et al., 2004; Li et al., 2007)
Plant-soil interactions
Competition/Facilitation)
Simulation/
inhibition
Mobilization/
immobilization Simulation/
inhibition
Activate /
De-activate
Direct interaction?
(Phenolics, strigolactones etc. (Li et al., 2011)
Increased N
biological fixation
Beneficial/detrimental
Simulation/inhibition
Release
Allelopathy
Reduced inorganic
N in soil
Beneficial/detrimental
Simulation/inhibition
Release
Allelopathy
Improved P
bioavailability through
Root exudates
Enhanced P
acquisition
Nutrients resource
N fixation increased by 92-150%
(Xiao et al., 2004; Fan et al., 2006; Li et al., 2009)
Enhanced P, Fe bioavailability
(Zuo et al., 2000, 2008; Li et al., 2004; Li et al.,
2007; Li et al., 2008)
Difference in root distribution
(Li et al., 2006; Li et al., 2009; Li et al., 2011)
Soil biota
Tradeoff between mycorrhiza infection and
nutrient availability (Gao et al., 2008)
Enrichment of microorganism biodiversity
(Song et al., 2007a, b)
Reduction of soil-borne disease index
(Chen et al., 2007; Dong et al., 2010)
Increased micro-biomass C sequestration (Song
et al., 2007; Wen et al., 2010)

6. IImmpplliiccaattiioonnss
Increase in （ %） Maize Faba Bean Fertilizer saved
Yield 17 64
N uptake 36 58 200kgN/ha
P uptake 26 56
100kgP2O5/ha

7. Too much N at early stage
Inhibits root and shoot growth
Too much N at early stage causes
lodging and early senescence
Lower base N Higher base N
N shortage N optimal N overuse N overuse N optimal

8. P application as “starter fertilizer” stimulates root
proliferation and enhances rhizosphere acidification.
Root proliferation in the hop spot
对照调控
调控
对照
Control RM
Root morphology change
局部调控刺激根系
Acidification
Yield increase： +8-27%
N efficiency (AEN)： +40%
P efficiency (AEP)： +200%
（Zhang et al., 2010, Adv. Agron.) （ Jing et al., 2010; Ma et al., 2013, Plant Soil)

9. Maximizing root/rhizosphere efficiency at different growth stages
Crop demand
maintenance
(Zhang et al., 2003; 2006,2010)
Root/rhizosphere-based root-zone
management for improving nutrient use
efficiency and crop yield
Nutrient
input
Bio-spatial
availability
Bio-availability
Spatial
availability
Root-zone management strategy
Nutrient supply
Exploiting root
mobilizing potential
Stimulating
root growth
Delaying root
senescence

10. Root zone management can maximize root/rhizoshere
efficiency, save chemical fertilizer input, and achieve
high-yield and high nutrient use efficiency.
（ Zhang et al., 2010, Adv. Agron.)
Seeder Fertilizer
（ Jing et al., 2010; Ma et al., 2013, Plant Soil)
CK RM

11. It took several hundred years to realize the
dream of food self-sufficiency in China
Year
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
(Data from the Statistic Bureau of China
Demand was estimated by using average grain demand of 400 kg/capita/year)
Grain demand and production (M ton)
Population (M)
580 600 620 640
214
305
407
505 431
531
0
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1961 1969 1977 1985 1993 2001 2009 2017 2025
Grain (milion ton)
Year
Grain demand
Grain production
Population

12. Grain production and resources input
Cereal grain yield in China has been merely secured by much higher input of resources
including fertilizer, irrigation, plastic film and other chemicals. Data are based on the China
statistic yearbook (NBAC, 1961-2010. Zhang et al., 2011; Shen et al., 2013)

13. MMoosstt ccoosstt ffaarrmmiinngg
FFeerrttiilliizzeerr OOvveerruussee aanndd MMiissuussee

14. Three-Step Strategy to increase crop yield and
nutrient use efficiency at the same time
- For ensure both food security and environment quality simultaneously
Crop productivity
The 3rd step
30%-50%
The 2nd step
10%-20% （High-yield ）
（saving fertilizer ）
At present
Increase soil fertility
The 1st step
Saving N by 30%
without yield penalty
Water and nutrient input

15. First step
Cut down N fertilizer by 30-50% reduces N loss
into environment greatly without diminishing
crop yield!

16. 产量
温室气体排放
(kg CO2-eq/ha)
氮肥用量(t/ha)
(kg/ha)
东北华北西北西南
产量
(t/ha)
温室气体排放
(kg CO2-eq/ha)
氮肥用量(kg/ha)
东北长江流域华南西南
产量
温室气体排放
(kg CO2-eq/ha)
氮肥用量(t/ha)
(kg/ha)
小麦
东北华北长江流域西北西南
玉米
水稻
Potential of yield increase, N saving and reduction of
GHG by regions
yield increase 15% ， N saving 20%， GHG reduction 30%
Second step

17. 3rd step: Increase yield and NUE by30-50%
2011
PNAS | April 19, 2011 | vol. 108 | no. 16 | 6399–6404
increase yield by 97%
Double the NUE in maize
In 66 field experiments
2013
2014
Yield Efficiency Environ
Producing more grain with less environmental costs in intensive agriculture

18. A new approach for small household farmers
In China, a total of 122 Mha of cropland is managed on 200
million farms. Here, the average area per farm is only 0.6 ha
and individually managed fields are generally 0.1 to 0.3 ha
Images were taken at March 27, 2004

19. How to eliminate the constraints?
Constraints Possible solution
1. Small farm and older farmer Consolidating land and establishing farmers
cooperatives
2. Less educated farmer Training farmer by field school, training course and
all village training in winter
3. Less labor Developing and inducing agro-machinery
4. Lack of on-site extension Building up Science & Technology Backyard in the
village
5. Lack of policy Giving recommendations to government to change
policy

20. Farm-based Double High Technology (DHT)
Innovation and Transfer by Science &
Technology Backyard (STB)
Develop and disseminate Double-High Technology (DHT) to
realize Double-High Sustainable Agriculture (DHA, High
Productivity and High Efficiency) through STB in China
• Adapting and innovating DHT
• Innovating extension system of DHT
• Promoting transformation of agriculture
• developing a new training program for graduate

21. Demonstration Doing experiment
Field school Training

22. Changes of the demonstration area in Quzhou
From 168 mu(1mu =1/15 ha) to the whole county

23. Use of DH technology increases grain yield in farmer’s field
1jin=500g, 1mu=1/15ha
Average yield
increase: +16.7%
Changes of the regional SM+WW yield in
farmer’s field and demonstration field in Quzhou
since 2009 (Statistic bureau of Quzhou
county,2011)
Jin/mu

24. Use of DH technology increases the resource use
efficiency
• N use efficiency
PFP-N
2009-SM
PFP-N
2010 -SM
PFP-N
2010-WW
Demonstr
ated field
n=68
47.4 43.4 21.6
Farmers
field
n=44
40.8 48.9 26.1
Increase
over FF
16.2% +12.7 +20.1%
• Use efficiency of
irrigated water: kg/m3
4.14
3.57
Demonstrate
d field (n=44)
+16.0%
Farmers
field (n=29)

25. STB Network in China
For food security: small holder---medium size---large scale (state farm)
For both food security and farmers income: grain---vegetable---fruit tree
张强
黑龙江农科院
中国农大
吉林农科院
吉林农大
中国农大
中国农大
中国农大河北农科院
山东农大河北农大
南京农大青岛农大
浙大安徽科技学院安徽农科院
华中农大
南亚所
中国农大
海南大学
石河子大学
甘肃农科院
西南大学
四川农大
四川农科院
内蒙古农大山西农科院
西北农林大学
河南农大
云南农大
已建小院23
在建小院13
广西大学

26. Enormous changes have been realized in grain
production, fertilizer consumption and NUE in
China
( Zhang et al., 2014)

27. N and P cost in the food chain of China
Double optimizing:
• Diet change
• Food import
• Feed import
Double high technologies
• High crop yield
• High animal productivity
• High NUE and PUE in crop
production
• High NUE and PUE in animal
production
N and P cost in the fod chain (kg/kg)
Changes in diet
Feed additives
Fertilizer
BNF
Deposition
N & P losses
1980 2005 2030
Year
Household
Food
processing
Animal
production
Crop
production
Food import
N & P losses
“New” nutrient Management options inputs Food chain
N & P losses
Feed import
Double recycling:
• Wastes reduce
• Wastes recycle
INM: ensure food security
Reduce N and P pollution by 39%!
(Ma et al.,2013,EST)

28. 谢谢
！