Development Situations and Recommendations for Zanthoxylum schinifolium Industry in Zhaoyang District of Yunnan Province

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Zhaoyang District Forestry Bureau, Zhaotong 657000, China

AbstractZhaoyang District is an important Zanthoxylum schinifolium planting area in Zhaotong City and even Yunnan Province, and it has a long history of cultivation. Through the survey and analysis of the status and problems of the development of Z. schinifolium industry, it came up with the recommendations for improving the Z. schinifolium industry, including introducing foreign capital to increase the added value of the products, and strengthening selection and breeding of fine seeds and research of high-yield technologies.

Key wordsZanthoxylum schinifolium, Industry development, Development Situations, Recommendations, Zhaoyang District

1 Introduction

Zanthoxylumspp. is RutaceaeZanthoxylumshrub or small arbor, and originated in China. Zhaoyang District is an important area with long history ofZanthoxylumplanting. In the whole district, there are green and red fruits of artificially plantedZanthoxylum, accordingly there areZanthoxylumschinifoliumSieb.et Zucc. andZanthoxylumbungeanum Maxim.Z.schinifoliumis mainly distributed in the three townships (Tianba, Yanshan, and Dazhaizi) with altitude of 600-1 800 m in the dry and hot valley of the Jinsha River, whileZ.bungeanumis mainly distributed in 16 townships except Dashanbao Town.

Zanthoxylumis woody oil tree species integrating edible, medicinal, and ecological values. At present, with the constant deepening of people’s understanding of the economic, medicinal and ecological value ofZanthoxylum, as well as the attention of governments at all levels, the guidance of market price, and the voluntary development of forest farmers, theZ.schinifoliumindustry has been further developed. However, there are some problems to be exposed. In order to fully understand and grasp the development status and problems ofZ.schinifoliumindustry in Zhaoyang District, we carried out a survey on the development status and problems ofZ.schinifoliumindustry in Zhaoyang District, and came up with the recommendations for its development, so as to provide certain references for government and forestry authorities to formulate appropriate policies.

2 Conditions and necessities of developing Z. schinifolium industry in Zhaoyang District

2.1 Rich natural resources

Zhaoyang District, situated in the northeastern part of the Wumeng Mountain area of the north of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, is the political, economic, and cultural information center of Zhaotong City. Covering an area of 2 167.00 ha including 90 166.4 ha of farmland, 114 347.1 ha of forest area (forest coverage rate is 38.01%), Zhaoyang District administers 20 towns (offices). The total population is 891 400, and the agricultural population is 480 200. Zhaoyang District is a typical plateau landform. The area is cut by rivers such as the Jinsha River and Niulan River, forming a complex terrain with alternating high and low altitude mountains and narrow river valleys. Light, heat, water elements and plant communities have differences in the north-south level and changes in vertical height. It has a typical plateau monsoon climate, distinct wet and dry seasons. The average temperature is 11.6℃, the average annual evaporation is 2 244.3 mm, the average annual rainfall is 750-1 000 mm, and the relative humidity is 74%. The average annual sunshine is 1 710 h, and the accumulated annual temperature of ≥10℃ is 3 237.4℃. Throughout the year, the frost-free period is 220 d. The rich land, human resources and favorable plateau monsoon climate provide necessary conditions for the development of theZanthoxylumindustry in Zhaoyang District.

2.2 Long history of cultivation

Z.schinifoliumis a kind of economical tree species with many uses such as edible spices, spices, oils and medicinal materials.Z.schinifoliumis also one of the native tree species in Zhaoyang District. As early as the Ming and Qing dynasties, Yi people in Yanshan Town had plantedZ.schinifolium. Due to long history of planting, forest farmers have a certain practical basis for the cultivation and management ofZ.schinifolium, which has laid favorable conditions for the development of theZ.schinifoliumindustry.

2.3 Function of ecological restoration to promote economic development

TheZ.schinifoliumin Zhaoyang District is mainly distributed in the karst rock desertification area with altitude of 600-1 800 m in the hot dry valley of the Jinsha River. This area is characterized by little farmland, low forest coverage, thin rocky exposed rock layer, ecological degradation and a vulnerable habitat. It is a difficult problem how to restore the ecology and develop the local economy in the process of returning farmland to forestry. PlantingZ.schinifoliumcan solve this problem.Z.schinifoliumgrows fast and has a well-developed root system. It is suitable for planting in arid and thin soil, and has the function of maintaining water and soil and improving the ecological environment. Besides, the economic value ofZ.schinifoliumis high. The price of driedZ.schinifoliumin recent years is stable at 80-110 yuan/kg, so the income ofZ.schinifoliumis up to 30 240 yuan/ha. Therefore, plantingZ.schinifoliumcan effectively restore the ecology and promote regional economic development.

3 Development situation of Z. schinifolium industry in Zhaoyang District

3.1 Z. schinifolium planting area

Yanshan Town, Tianba and Dazhaizi townships in Jinsha River valleys have a total area of 20 671.01 ha, the farmland and forest area is 17 388.9 ha, and the area with altitude of 600-1 800 m suitable for plantingZ.schinifoliumis 5 216.7 ha. At present, the planting area ofZ.schinifoliumis 3 323.9 ha, involving 3 898 families (18 016 farmers), while about 1 892.8 ha of idle land and forest land can be developed for plantingZ.schinifolium.

3.2 Annual output value of Z. schinifolium

In existing planting area of 3 323.9 haZ.schinifolium, 255.5 haZ.schinifoliumforest has become old and needs upgrade. And 528.4 haZ.schinifoliumforest is not put into production. However,Z.schinifoliumforest entering the best fruiting period lacks fertilizer application, pruning, and prevention and control of insect pests and diseases, the annual production of freshZ.schinifoliumis 945 kg/ha, total yield of freshZ.schinifoliumis 2 400.3 t, and dryZ.schinifoliumis 960.1 t. Calculated at the lowest 80 yuan/kg in 2015, 2016, and 2017, the output value is about 30 240 yuan/ha, and the total output value is about 76.808 million yuan.

4 Existing problems in the development of Z. schinifolium industry

4.1 Low development and utilization rate

Zhaoyang District has a long history of cultivation ofZ.schinifolium, the annual yield of freshZ.schinifoliumis 2 400.3 t, but the product is mainly dryZ.schinifolium, the added value is extremely low. By now, only Yanshan Town has established theZ.schinifoliumsales association, but no enterprise has joined. What’s more, the research, development, and deep processing ofZ.schinifoliumpowder, oil, and seed acid organic fertilizer are still in a blank. All of these restrict the healthy development ofZ.schinifoliumindustry.

4.2 Lack of industrial construction funds and insufficient research of high yield technologies

The Jinsha River valley is an arid rocky desertification area, where the soil lacks water and fertilizer, and the investment in supporting facilities for fertilization and irrigation is almost zero. With many years of efforts, although the forestry departments have summarized many applicable cultivation technologies according to local conditions through model forests, experimental demonstration forests,etc., the lack of a series of studies on demand of water and fertilizer, pest control and harvest management ofZ.schinifoliumresulted in failure to ensure the high yield and stability ofZ.schinifolium.

4.3 Fine seed base construction of Z. schinifolium lagging behind the pace of industrial development

Forest quality relies on seed, while seed lies in the quality. The planting area ofZ.schinifoliumin Zhaoyang District has been increasing year by year. Nevertheless, there is no standard fine seed breeding base in Jinsha River valley.Z.schinifoliumseedlings planted by the farmers are mainly purchased from other areas. Varieties have different quality. These easily lead to large area of low-yieldZ.schinifoliumor widespread of insect pests and diseases, accordingly leading to the failure of the development of theZ.schinifoliumindustry.

5 Recommendations for development of the Z. schinifolium industry

5.1 Introducing foreign capital and increasing the added value of Z. schinifolium

It is recommended to adopt the method of "making up for the drawback of late start through high starting point", to attract advanced technologies and introduce nonpublic economy to participate in the construction ofZ.schinifolium. For example, it is possible to take the operation mode of "company + base + farmers", form the advantage of theZ.schinifoliumindustry under the guidance of science and technology and market, to increase the added value ofZ.schinifolium, and raise the popularity ofZ.schinifolium.

5.2 Strengthening fine seed selection and breeding and research of high yield technologies

(i) The healthy development of theZ.schinifoliumindustry is inseparable from fine seed. However, introduction or sexual reproduction of seed has high risk, and it takes a long time to recover the costs. SomeZ.schinifoliumfarmers adopt wildZ.schinifoliumand rockZ.schinifoliumwith strong vitality as rootstocks. They branches with many spikes, full grain, free of insect pests and diseases to make asexual reproduction and have obtained excellent effect. It is recommended that government should increase the input of funds, and scientific and technological personnel should get involved in the experiment and promotion of fine seed breeding. (ii) It is recommended to carry out research ofZ.schinifoliumcultivation technologies in different site conditions, including water and fertilizer demand rules, pruning, florescence adjustment, prevention and control of insect pests and diseases, and fruit collection and harvesting standard. (iii) It is recommended to undertake the research of technologies for improving the quality and increasing the yield ofZ.schinifolium, and increase the per unit area yield and quality ofZ.schinifolium.