Abstract:
Investigation and evaluation of soil and water resources in Minqin Oasis indicate that the proportion of grain crop, cash crop and grass is 36.94∶45.16∶17.90 for 2005. And a comparison with that for 1991 indicates that land use structure is developing towards rational proportion of grain crop, cash crop and grass; and harmony among agriculture, stockbreeding and forest. The main limiting factors of land resources are water, soil quality, salinity and fertility, and there is about 3.921 8 × 10
8m
3water deficit per year in Minqin Oasis. Based on the natural conditions and deserticulture theory, some high quality, watersaving and droughtresistant plant species and varieties are introduced in Minqin Oasis. These include four alfalfa species of “Zhongmu No.1”, “Ranger Lander”, “Barlfa54” and “Derby”;and
Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Ephedra intermedia and
Allium mongolicum. The development aim of land use and deserticulture in Minqin Oasis are advanced as: watersaving agriculture and ecological industry to improve utilization of soil, water and light, which in turn involves rational intercropping of forest-grass and forest-herb medicinal plants, grass-crop ration; cultivation and development of alfalfa,
G. uralensis,
E. intermedia, grape, potato, cotton and home-breed sheep. Implementation of the above measures benefits technological establishment of deserticulture including soil/environment system, plant species/variety system, watersaving cultivation and industrialization system, and insures proportion of grain crop, cash crop and grass on 1∶1∶1 basis and furthers sustainable development of ecological deserticulture.