Advancing Green Citrus Production in China: Field-Based Training Highlights Newsun’s Biological Practices
From November 3–5, the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center (NATESC), together with the Sichuan Provincial Plant Protection Station, held the third session of the National Green Plant Protection Training Program in Chengdu. The program brought together representatives from agricultural extension agencies, research institutions, and industry to exchange practical approaches for green citrus pest and disease management.
On November 4, participants visited a citrus demonstration orchard in Pujiang County, where Chengdu Newsun Crop Science Co., Ltd. (Newsun) has implemented an integrated, biology-led citrus management program. Local officials also outlined Pujiang’s “Two Replacements” initiative — ecological/biological control replacing conventional pesticides, and organic fertilizers replacing chemical fertilizers.
Newsun’s integrated solution at the Pujiang site comprises:
- Soil remediation & green soil management: application of soil aggregate–structure remediation agents and microbial inoculants to improve soil ecology.
- Green flower/fruit set support: use of plant bioregulators such as natural brassinosteroids to improve fruit set and size uniformity.
- Plant-based pest and disease control: promotion of a “biopesticide+” integrated strategy centered on Veratrum rhizome extract, berberine, and garlic-bulb extracts to reduce reliance on conventional chemical pesticides.
- Fruit enlargement, coloration & quality enhancement: a coronatine-based bioregulation approach to promote more uniform fruit expansion and earlier coloration, improving marketable fruit ratio and flavor quality.
Demonstration outcomes observed at the site indicate that, through systematic use of biopesticides and organic fertilizers, chemical pesticide use decreased by over 50%, chemical fertilizer use decreased by over 30%, and citrus yield increased by more than 10%, alongside notable improvements in fruit quality and soil health.
Expert sessions led by specialists from the Sichuan Provincial Plant Protection Station, China Agricultural University, and the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences provided additional context on green control practices, plant growth regulation, and innovation pathways for horticultural systems. Attendees noted that the Pujiang case offers a replicable, scalable model for achieving reduced chemical inputs with stable or improved yield and quality.
Building on this training, Newsun will continue working with government agencies, research institutions, and production bases to advance adoption of integrated biological management—supporting China’s broader objectives for green, high-quality agricultural development.
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