Specialists from the Enshi Comprehensive Experimental Station and the Bijie Comprehensive Experimental Station (Bijie Academy of Agricultural Sciences), both under the National Potato Industry Technology System, conducted a specialized research visit in Bijie focusing on potato breeding, seed tuber and seedling propagation, and field trials. The delegation first visited the Bijie Academy’s intelligent standardized seedling greenhouses to observe the growth of potato seedlings, inquire about temperature and humidity control systems, daily management practices, and the characteristics of locally promoted varieties. They provided professional guidance on pest and disease control during the seedling stage and on cultivating robust seedlings. The team then toured the intensive potato seedling greenhouse to examine the complete process of producing pre-basic seeds using aeroponic technology, drawing on mature nursery management experience and discussing optimization strategies for seedling propagation. They also shared experiences in standardized cultivation and care of specialty crop seedlings in high-altitude areas.
In the intelligent seedling cultivation workshop, the delegation inspected the growth status of micro-plants in foam seedling trays and held in-depth discussions with researchers on propagation cycles, sorting, and transplanting processes, focusing on shortening breeding cycles and improving survival rates. At the tissue culture center, after donning protective suits, they observed the full workflow—from shoot tip isolation and bottle culture preservation to virus self-testing—and praised the center’s standardized, closed-loop tissue culture system. The team also visited the national medium-late maturing variety trial field (Bijie pilot site) to evaluate the performance of tested varieties, record growth stages and resistance traits, and draw on Enshi’s experience with selenium-rich potato cultivation and regional branding to offer replicable strategies for developing new high-quality potato varieties in Bijie. They also toured the Guizhou Potato Technology Innovation Center’s greenhouse vertical pot cultivation trial area, assessing plant performance and exploring the feasibility of adopting efficient protected cultivation models in Bijie’s high-altitude areas. This cross-regional exchange has opened technology-sharing channels between the two major high-altitude potato-producing areas in Southwest China, establishing a collaborative platform for germplasm, technology, and experience sharing. Moving forward, the Bijie Academy’s potato research team will fully incorporate the visit’s findings, deepen germplasm resource sharing and joint technical research, and continue to refine the entire industry chain from tissue culture to field demonstration, strengthening Bijie’s reputation as a center for elite seed propagation and supporting the steady, high-quality development of the city’s potato industry.
