At the Potato Industry Expert Institute in Weiyuan County, Gansu Province, researchers are working in villages and fields to conduct variety screening and breeding guidance, directly translating laboratory achievements into frontline production. In the Jingning Apple Belt, the expert team from the Jingning Modern Apple Cultivation Technology Institute diagnoses trees one by one, using soil testing, pruning techniques, and other technologies to provide precise "prescriptions" for fruit farmers.
Recently, visits to Gansu Agricultural University's expert institutes across the province revealed how these institutes are rooted in fields, workshops, and markets, leveraging technology to "strengthen, extend, and upgrade" industrial chains, offering a vivid example of modern agricultural development in Gansu.
Since 2012, Gansu Agricultural University has established 40 expert institutes across the province, forming a science and technology service network covering the Hexi Oasis Agricultural Zone, the Longdong-Longzhong Arid Zone, the Longnan Specialty Agricultural Zone, and the Gannan Grassland Pastoral Area. According to Zhao Kai, Party Secretary of Gansu Agricultural University, these institutes aim to drive agricultural modernization by addressing technical bottlenecks in Gansu's key industries, deepening industry-academia-research integration, and aligning research outcomes with local needs while training a new generation of farmers.
**Targeting Specialty Industries to Overcome Technical Challenges** At the green manure apple orchard of Gansu Demei Diyuan Modern Agricultural Group, a weather station monitors real-time climate changes, frost prevention machines activate automatically during cold spells, and solar-powered insecticidal lamps operate day and night.
"Before, we relied on rain during droughts and pesticides for pest control. Now, we check soil moisture and pest conditions on our phones, enabling precise irrigation and fertilization, saving farmers significant time," said Lü Manhui, General Manager of Gansu Demei Diyuan Modern Agricultural Group.
The technology Lü mentioned was developed by the Jingning Modern Apple Cultivation Technology Expert Institute team, consisting of five professors and five associate professors, all seasoned apple cultivation experts. In recent years, they have identified new apple varieties suitable for the Loess Plateau, optimized rootstock selection, and trained local farmers in techniques like orchard renewal, water-fertilizer regulation, and dryland cultivation.
"Last year, this old orchard yielded 3,000 jin per mu; after renovation, it now produces 3,500 jin with 30% less fertilizer," said Chen Baihong, Chief Expert of Gansu's Modern Cold-Arid Specialty Fruit Industry Technology System and Vice President of Gansu Agricultural University. The team revitalized the orchard through pruning, soil improvement, and fertilization adjustments.
The institute has trained 14,000 farmers, promoted techniques across 690,000 mu, and helped growers increase yields by over 10% while reducing water usage by 30%.
**Serving Local Economies by Solving Industry Pain Points** From fields to factories, the expert institutes' impact continues to expand. At the Ganzhou District Agricultural Product Deep Processing Technology Expert Institute, Chief Expert Zhang Zhen works with reagents while labeled sample bottles—containing jujube extract, pumpkin powder, and freeze-dried vegetables—line the shelves, each holding secrets to turning "ordinary crops" into high-value products.
Ganzhou District boasts 400,000 mu of green vegetables, 735,000 mu of corn seed production, and 50,000 mu of specialty agricultural products. Since its establishment in 2019, Zhang Zhen's team has immersed itself in production lines, solving real-world challenges.
"Our health food products used to have sediment issues affecting quality. Professor Zhang's team adjusted parameters from raw material processing to sterilization temperatures, completely resolving the problem," said He Guidong, Production Manager of Gansu Guben Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
The institute has developed 12 pumpkin-based products, solved corn sterilization challenges, and introduced eight deep-processing technologies, raising local agricultural processing conversion rates from 35% to 58% and generating over 5 million yuan in additional economic benefits.
To date, Gansu Agricultural University's 40 expert institutes have conducted 1,128 training sessions, trained over 80,000 agricultural technicians and farmers, promoted 140+ technologies, introduced 110+ new varieties, and demonstrated techniques across 4.3 million mu of crops and 4.4 million livestock, generating 5.5 billion yuan in economic benefits.
Moving forward, the university plans to optimize institute layouts, strengthen local economic ties, refine management models, and accelerate technology transfer to further support rural revitalization and agricultural modernization in Gansu.
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