Tongzhou nurtures asparagus hyperandrogenic plants

A modern asparagus seedling base in Dongping village, Tongzhou district, Nantong, Jiangsu province has nurtured five varieties of asparagus seedlings, yielding a total of 16 hyperandrogenic plants following genetic testing by professional institutions.

This marks China's first successful cultivation of asparagus hyperandrogenic plants.

Traditionally, all-male asparagus seeds available in the market were predominantly sourced from overseas due to the absence of hyperandrogenic plants in China.

Jiang Zhaohui, a key figure in this achievement, began cultivating asparagus in Dongping in 2012 after leasing around 2.67 hectares of land, dedicating a significant portion of his time to seedling cultivation.

Under the guidance of professors from the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Jian's asparagus seedling base successfully nurtured over 100 asparagus hyperandrogenic plant seedlings. The hybridization of these hyperandrogenic plants with female plants will give China its own all-male asparagus seeds, marking a major leap forward for the asparagus industry, according to Ye Jinsong, a professor from the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences.

Jiang envisions a situation where asparagus will not only become an affordable staple but also lead to increased incomes for farmers.

"We will ramp up the production of asparagus hyperandrogenic plant seedlings, providing farmers with seeds and technical guidance to help them achieve prosperity through asparagus cultivation," Jiang added.

Asparagus, an exotic vegetable, is rich in protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins, offering both nutritional and medicinal benefits to consumers.

The asparagus seedling base in Tongzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: wxtzfb]