Economy

Lesson 4: Preserving rare genetic resources in the West

Economic Reporter Group • DNUM_AFZBCZCACE 13:52

Western Nghe An contains the quintessence of nature and has the largest world biosphere reserve in the country spread across many districts; in terms of native plant genetic resources, there are varieties of glutinous rice, first-generation rice, yellow flower tea, Quỳ cinnamon, Shan tuyet tea, black pigs, axe-head cows, cool fish, peaches, plums, ginger, etc. Over hundreds of years, they have adapted to natural conditions, the products retain their superior genetic resources and produce special products...

After a long time of fieldwork in deep forests and high mountains, a group of officials from the Department of Science and Technology found Puxailaileng ginseng in the wild and brought it back for experimental planting in Tay Son commune, Ky Son district. Puxailaileng ginseng is a rare ginseng belonging to the ginseng family (Araliaceae) found in the Puxailaileng high mountains of the Truong Son range, where forest cover is over 80%. Currently, Puxailaileng ginseng in the wild is increasingly scarce and is facing the risk of extinction.

The discovery of Panax ginseng in the high mountains of Puxailaileng in Nghe An is considered a treasure trove, of great scientific and practical significance. Immediately after finding this precious ginseng, the ginseng sample was analyzed by scientists in Hanoi for its agro-biological characteristics, medicinal value, propagation and planting methods... According to the analysis data, the humidity and free sugar content of the two Puxailaileng ginseng samples are higher than that of Ngoc Linh ginseng; Puxailaileng ginseng has Saponin Ginsenosid Rg1, Ginsenosid Rb1 and Majonosid R2 compounds at quite high levels. Currently, Puxailaileng ginseng is very rare in nature.

Previously, when some plants were preserved, the Department of Science and Technology propagated and transferred them to TH Group for monitoring and care in Na Ngoi commune (Ky Son). Due to the valuable characteristics of Puxailaileng ginseng, considering the need to continue propagating and preserving, the Department of Science and Technology is planning to continue propagating and preserving this medicinal plant.

Mr. Nguyen Quy Linh - Director of the Department of Science and Technology said: "Puxailaileng ginseng grows on Puxailaileng mountain (in the Truong Son range), in Ky Son district, at an altitude of more than 2,700m above sea level, and is assessed by scientists to have quality not inferior to Ngoc Linh ginseng in Quang Nam and Kon Tum. The Department is planning to build a smart farm system (Smart Farm) in Thai Hoa town and bring Puxailaileng ginseng to grow in greenhouses, using tissue culture technology for propagation.

At the TH Group's medicinal plant conservation station in Na Ngoi and Muong Long communes (Ky Son), dozens of medicinal plant groups including: yellow flower tea, purple stone orchid, codonopsis pilosula, Japanese angelica, seven-leaf one-flower ginseng, Lai Chau ginseng, northern ginseng, Ky Son ginger, chrysanthemum... are being multiplied and developed. In particular, purple stone orchid is grown by attaching to the trunk of an ancient tree, a type of orchid that was recorded as being used by Empress Dowager Cixi (Qing Dynasty, China) since ancient times, and is now being tissue cultured with tens of thousands of plants ready for harvest. At an altitude of nearly 2,700m above sea level, the primeval forests with fresh air and thick carpets of rotten leaves are effective places to cultivate medicinal plants. Scientists install temperature and light measuring devices to monitor the growth and development of plants, apply biotechnology to cultivation, and utilize nutrients from nature, promising to open a new medicinal industry for the Western region of Nghe An.

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Based on available data from biodiversity surveys of genetic resources of research institutes and universities, the Nghe An Center for Application of Science and Technology Advances also conducts surveys of reserves of rare, valuable, and potentially valuable genetic resources for conservation. From 2021 to present, the center has identified 8 more genetic resources to add to the conservation list such as the Quang River spiny soft-shelled turtle, the rough-thorned frog in Que Phong district, black sea cucumber in Nghi Tien sea area (Nghi Loc), turkey in Ky Son district, tea vine, blood vine and centipede; 1 genetic source of fruit trees is Vinh city persimmon (Nghi An commune, Nghi Duc).

From the results of that investigation, localities have implemented conservation projects such as: "Building a conservation model to preserve the Quang River spiny soft-shelled turtle in Que Phong district", "Building a model to propagate native roses in Vinh city", "Applying scientific and technological advances to build a model to propagate, plant and process some products from the tea tree in Con Cuong district"...

Nghe An has the largest forest and forestry land area in the country. The whole province currently has 1.008 million hectares of forested land, including 173.9 thousand hectares of forested land and 45.84 thousand hectares of planted land, of which 789 thousand hectares are natural forests. Nghe An is assessed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as one of the provinces with the best and largest forest coverage in the country at nearly 60%. To date, the whole province has 24,692 hectares of forest certified for sustainable forest management under VFCS/PEFC and FSC (of which, planted forest is 21,783.72 hectares; natural forest is 2,908.106 hectares). This is an important condition for Nghe An to export wood abroad, and at the same time build itself into a wood processing center of the North Central region.

One of the requirements for wood export is that forest seedlings must have a clear origin and must be cultivated and monitored scientifically. Therefore, Nghe An is facing challenges in producing forestry seedlings by tissue culture because of the high cost. Since 2019, Song Hieu Forestry and Agriculture One Member Co., Ltd. has organized for staff and workers of forestry farms to study models of forest economic development; at the same time, switching to planting large timber forests, aiming to exploit carbon credits. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoang - General Director of Song Hieu Forestry and Agriculture One Member Co., Ltd. shared: The unit organized tours and learned about the experience of producing forestry seedlings by tissue culture in Hue and the Forestry Seed Institute. Thanks to these trials, each unit recognized the difference and advantages of planting forests by tissue culture seedlings compared to cuttings. The company chose Dong Hop Forestry Farm to organize the production of seedlings from tissue culture to provide to member units.

Due to the material conditions, the company received small acacia seedling embryos from the Forestry Seed Institute the size of toothpicks to take care of. Mr. Cao Cu Luc - Director of Dong Hop Forestry Farm shared: The team of workers has long been familiar with production by cuttings, which is quite simple, so when switching to taking care of seedlings by tissue culture, it was very difficult. In the first crop, the mortality rate was high. The reason is that the tissue cultured seedlings brought in are very small, and during the care process, if there is heavy rain or too much watering, the seedlings will be waterlogged, and conversely, if it is too sunny and not covered, the seedlings will burn, and if it is cold and rainy, they will also die. After 2 years of directing and learning from experience, the forest farm has now mastered the technique of nurturing acacia seedlings from tissue culture, producing nearly 1 million seedlings each year for people in the region.

Song Hieu Agricultural Forestry Corporation said: Along with Dong Hop Forestry Farm, other forest farms also choose good acacia varieties to grow by cuttings. With nearly 7,500 hectares of planted forest, each year the corporation plants about 350 hectares of new raw material forest using tissue culture varieties. However, "you get what you pay for", quality forest seedlings, after 6-7 years of planting, will be harvested, with a yield of 120 tons/ha, so the efficiency is not only 20 hectares/ton higher than acacia grown by cuttings. When grown into a large timber forest, the value will be doubled.

Taking advantage of the great biological value of Pu Mat primeval forest, Pu Mat National Park has been implementing 3 biodiversity conservation projects in the park. Specifically, in 2023, a model for developing medicinal and edible mushrooms will be implemented in Pu Mat National Park. As a result, the park has successfully produced Ga2 Ganoderma lucidum and Pn1 oyster mushroom varieties. For Ga2 Ganoderma lucidum, 46 tubes of grade I seeds (92% success rate) and 93 bottles of grade II seeds (93% success rate) have been produced. Similarly, for Pn1 oyster mushroom, the park has produced 10 tubes of grade I seeds (100% success rate), 19 bottles of grade II seeds (95% success rate), and 45 bags of grade III seeds (90% success rate). The advantage of PN1 oyster mushroom variety is its good resistance to pests and diseases, especially growing and developing in many crops during the year.

The garden also successfully produced and built two models of cultivating Ga2 lingzhi mushrooms and Pn1 oyster mushrooms in Pu Mat National Park into commercial products. A representative of Pu Mat National Park said: In addition to the topic that has had initial results above, the garden is currently implementing a topic of applying scientific and technological advances to build a model of planting three-forked trees and ginseng under the forest canopy in the buffer zone and a model of propagating and planting purple ginseng and cat sam under the forest canopy in the buffer zone of Pu Mat National Park.

Similarly, at Pu Hoat Nature Reserve (Que Phong), with the advantage of being the unit managing 86,000 hectares of natural forest, including many rare native forest species such as lim, sen, tau and especially cinnamon trees, mu tun, and betel trees... Therefore, biological conservation and development of these precious species are of great concern to Que Phong district.

Dr. Nguyen Van Sinh - Director of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve shared: Along with managing and protecting the natural forest area, one of the unit's priorities is to preserve and propagate rare native trees. Currently, the unit has a 3-hectare nursery in Na Chong village, Dong Van commune, each year cultivating about 100,000 seedlings of various types including cinnamon, lim, po mu, hybrid acacia... From 2022 to present, the unit has been supported by the Department of Science and Technology to build a nursery for plants such as betel, mu tan, yellow flower tea... From the end of 2023, Que Phong district People's Committee has ordered to cultivate nearly 50,000 cinnamon seedlings to provide to communes for planting in the next spring crop. In addition to the models, Que Phong district also allocates nearly 400 million VND from the budget each year to support the model of preserving native seedlings such as short-necked ducks in Chau Thon commune and raising native chickens in Nam Giai commune. The district also multiplied the Japonica specialty rice, yellow flower tea, and upland sticky rice into commodities to supply the city. Que Phong district is proposing that the Department of Science and Technology include the Muong Qua spiny soft-shell turtle breeding model in Chau Thon commune in the conservation project for multiplication.

Mr. Bui Van Hien - Vice Chairman of Que Phong District People's Committee assessed: Biotechnology sounds "distant" to the local people, but it turns out that for a long time, the district and the people have been quietly carrying out familiar tasks associated with the potential strengths of the locality, making OCOP goods. In parallel with allocating capital from the poverty reduction program to support ethnic minorities, since 2022, the district has also mobilized 1.22 billion VND from the United Nations Development Program UNDP to deploy 5 livelihood models for people in 2 buffer zone communes of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve. After 2 years of implementing the sustainable livelihood model for 2 buffer zone communes of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve within the framework of the UNDP-funded project, 421/421 households (100%) in 8 villages and 2 communes of Dong Van and Thong Thu have participated. The project has planted, protected, cared for and sustainably exploited 138.8 hectares of yellow tea; planted, protected and sustainably exploited 1,487.3 hectares of cypress and 19 hectares of cassia; and additionally planted and sustainably exploited 90.8 hectares of bonbo trees. Scientists, farmers, authorities and United Nations organizations have joined hands for a green color, preserving nature, helping people to be more in harmony with nature and consider nature as "mother's milk".