In the crisp autumn air, the seedling workshop at the National Regional Seedling Breeding Base in Linyi County buzzes with vitality. Rows of virus-free, replant-resistant fruit tree saplings thrive in nutrient cups filled with coconut coir and peat, meticulously watered by a computer-controlled system. Every 40 days, a new batch of saplings emerges, transforming the facility into a modern "fruit tree factory." Nearby, the base's virus-free rapid propagation lab exudes quiet precision. Workers clad in protective gear tend to transparent culture bottles, where tiny green shoots multiply and root under sterile conditions—each labeled with detailed lineage and birthdate records.
These saplings hold the genetic key to Linyi's "Xunyang Orchard," which has defied tradition by achieving "first-year planting, second-year fruiting, and third-year high yields." Liu Peng, director of Linyi's Fruit Industry Development Center, explains their breakthrough: "'One resistance' tackles soil fatigue for old orchards, while 'double detoxification' eliminates six lethal viruses through tissue culture." Lab technician Xin Guixia meticulously extracts 0.2-0.3mm meristem tips—virus-free plant tissue—which multiply fivefold every 30-35 days in culture bottles, theoretically yielding tens of thousands of clones annually.
Spearheading this revolution is Linghangda Fruit Technology Co., a 2020-established enterprise with 20 million yuan capital and a 100-member team including 18 technical experts. Their five competitive edges include: 100% virus elimination via molecular detection, shortened 2-year sapling production (versus traditional 3 years), 30+ dwarf rootstock varieties, 40+ premium cultivars like David Gala and Shinano Gold, and labor-saving techniques like bagless cultivation. Their facilities span 1,200㎡ tissue culture areas and 1,000+ mu (≈67 hectares) of nurseries, annually producing 200,000 virus-free scions and 1 million EU-standard saplings at one-third European prices.
The scaling miracle lies in greenhouse propagation. "While labs produce 100,000 sterile saplings yearly, our greenhouses yield 700,000 per batch," says technical lead He Wenjian, showcasing their patented softwood cutting technique. Saplings root in 40 days within computer-controlled greenhouses, slashing propagation costs by 80% versus imports.
Field results dazzle: Over 100 demonstration orchards across 10,000+ mu showcase "plant-and-go" replanting, 5-month cold-storable saplings with high survival rates, and streamlined management allowing one worker to tend 50-80 mu. Drip irrigation and eco-friendly pest control enable yields of 500-1,000kg/mu in year two. Wang Haifeng's 200-mu model orchard in Beixin Township exemplifies this—with 2,500kg/mu yields in year three and profits exceeding 10,000 yuan/mu, his "tower-shaped" trees using bagless fruit technology have pre-harvest sales.
From microscopic virus eradication to systemic agricultural transformation, Linyi's "test-tube to table" revolution redefines apple cultivation—attracting youth back to farming while sweetening the future of rural revitalization, one high-tech sapling at a time.