Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Crop Promotion
Initial wheat plantings should be kept to a minimum, primarily to accumulate experience. Therefore, they planned to plant 15 mu (approximately 15 acres) of wheat in their first batch of experimental plots. One mu (approximately 666.67 square meters) equals 10,000 square meters. This size would facilitate management while also allowing for a reasonable planting scale.
These 15 acres of land were selected near the planting area because the surrounding plants can minimize the impact of wind and sand on wheat.
Fifteen mu of wheat requires approximately 300 kilograms of seed, which is roughly the yield of half an acre. However, factors like yield and loss must be considered, so Ye Ning cultivated the wheat harvest for an entire acre directly in the plantation room.
She let the wheat seeds mature and produce new wheat seeds, following the whole cycle, and with the help of the source stone in the planting room, she spent a day and cultivated this acre of wheat under everyone's noses.
She deliberately delayed the time, but everyone was already very surprised.
Moreover, because this acre of land was cultivated entirely by her special ability, the quality is very good, and all the data are far better than the best results in the laboratory.
Soil improvement had already been done in advance. Wheat cultivation requires relatively flat land. Therefore, they had already leveled all the sandy areas, ensuring that the overall surface elevation difference did not exceed 5 centimeters, thus maximizing the even distribution of water.
She had previously kept the remaining straw from the wheat and rice she had grown in the plantation room, and now it was mixed with animal excrement.
They also held a small opening ceremony for this purpose.
In fact, when they heard the news, senior officials from the Xisha District went to find He Yang and said they wanted to attend. They proposed to hold a large opening ceremony, but Ye Ning thought it was too troublesome.
They will soon be growing potatoes and mushrooms too. There's no need to just plant something and invite a bunch of people over for a ceremony.
However, necessary records must still be kept.
The documentary series they meticulously planned and filmed on the ecological restoration area has already been edited and released online. The entire documentary vividly and realistically captures the ecological restoration area's transformation from a barren wasteland to a vibrant area.
They also produced videos for the subsequent Ecological Education Day and posted them online. These documentaries received a lot of attention and response after being released online. As more and more people watched the videos, her gold coins increased.
On the day of officially planting wheat, the researchers were very excited and appeared in the crop area one after another before dawn.
When Ye Ning went over, the researchers were checking seeds, machines and other props to ensure that today's planting would be foolproof.
However, Ye Ning looked at the thing at the door and whispered to Hou Lin, "What is that?"
The object was half a person's height and was tightly covered with a layer of bright red waterproof cloth. Only a trapezoidal object could be roughly seen inside.
Hou Lin's mouth curled up slightly, his eyes filled with mystery. "It's a sculpture. You'll know after the ribbon-cutting."
A sculpture of this size definitely doesn't look like her. Ye Ning's curiosity was piqued.
They had previously suggested erecting a massive statue of her at the entrance to the planting area, or perhaps even placing one in the center of the botanical garden or Xisha District, but she had rejected both proposals. Having her photos everywhere she went was already enough for her; she didn't want to have to look up at a giant statue of herself everywhere.
Before officially opening the experimental field, Ye Ning said some words of affirmation and expectation for everyone as usual, and then Shi Cong handed a pair of scissors to her.
With a "click", Ye Ning used the golden scissors in her hand to cut open the red silk cloth covering the waterproof cloth.
Streamers floated out in all directions and landed on her, and the researchers applauded enthusiastically.
The next second, the people around pulled away the red cloth covering it.
The true appearance of the sculpture was finally revealed. The sculpture... turned out to be her shovel?
Ye Ning looked at the statue and then at the researchers behind her.
Everyone looked at her expectantly, and Hou Lin came over and asked, "A surprise?"
Ye Ning looked at their expectant eyes and nodded quickly, "It's a great surprise."
Hou Lin knew from her expression that she was talking nonsense.
He explained, "Your shovel has now become the institute's town shovel. So after a vote, everyone unanimously agreed that your shovel should be placed at the entrance to the crop planting area."
The researchers immediately said:
"Yes, Lord Ye Ning's shovel is so easy to use. Every time I turn the soil with it, I feel like the soil quality has become better."
"I encountered a big rock last time, and I used it to shovel it away in one go. It works better than a robot."
"Yes, it's more convenient to use than any other tool I've ever used. So every time I see this shovel, I feel at ease." The researcher who said this had already pounced on the shovel statue, gently stroking it, his eyes full of cherishment.
They even searched online for similar shovels, but couldn't find one that matched Ye Ning's. To the point where they now have to make an appointment in advance to use a shovel.
Ye Ning hadn't seen the shovel in a long time because she had been cultivating seedlings. And with the system in place, she wasn't worried about the shovel getting lost.
Using a shovel to mix the improved soil is her hard requirement, but if there is a need to turn the soil over a large area, it is done by a robot using a shovel.
Moreover, she is the only one who can adjust the size of the shovel, and she is the only one who can do it "effortlessly". For others, it is just a handy tool. However, the addition to the soil is real, but turning the soil is done by mixing various additives, so it is natural that the soil will improve.
So she didn't expect that everyone liked the shovel to this extent.
Everyone was talking excitedly, and Shi Cong placed the button in front of Ye Ning.
"Master Ye Ning, please start today's planting."
Ye Ning pressed the start button, and all the robots started running at the same time.
The seed-sowing robot took off into the air, and with its precise operation, high-quality wheat seeds were accurately sown in the sand.
The suitable planting depth of wheat seeds is between 3-5 cm. The soil in Xisha area is loose, so the planting depth can be shallower.
After all the seeds are planted, the machine gently compacts the soil surface to allow the soil and seeds to be in close contact, and then the sprinkler system begins to irrigate.
Ye Ning felt the vitality of the seeds inside and mobilized his own special abilities.
Before long, the endless flat sand was miraculously covered with a layer of lush green wheat seedlings.
Someone suddenly said, "With Master Ye Ning here, we'll probably be able to harvest soon!"
"With so many acres of land, we can directly supply high-quality seeds to various regions of the federation after the harvest. Maybe in a few years, my parents will be able to eat these crops."
"Of course it can. With a crop every two months, it might not take several years."
There are 12 months in a year, and if the temperature is precisely controlled, they can even grow 6 crops a year!
Everyone imagined a future scene with wheat ears floating everywhere, and their hearts were filled with passion and anticipation.
Ye Ning looked at them and said, "We can't plant a crop every two months. The soil needs a rest. We can't plant wheat all the time in these experimental fields. We can add some soybeans as an intercrop in between. After this round of wheat is harvested, we can rotate with other crops."
Different crops have different nutrient requirements. Intercropping allows nutrients in the soil to be fully utilized, saving time and resources. Crop rotation, on the other hand, promotes soil self-repair and improves soil fertility.
For example, legumes are very beneficial to the soil. They convert nitrogen from the air into ammoniacal nitrogen that can be absorbed by plants and stored in the soil. This biological nitrogen fixation not only reduces production costs but also increases soil biodiversity.
Ecological zones don't need to be changed, and indoor plants don't need to worry about these things. However, experimental fields for crops are mainly exposed to outdoor environments, so these issues must be taken into consideration.
Ye Ning looked at Shi Cong and said, "I'll send you a planting plan later, and you can make adjustments based on it."
Shi Congli nodded.
Their most important task now is to find ways to save time and resources and then spread their successful experiences.
However, Ye Ning was also thinking that the planting speed in this area must be accelerated.
Of the crops grown in this area, 12 acres belong to her research institute and 3 acres belong to the Xisha District.
Because the goal of the experimental field is to export high-quality seeds. She doesn't know if she has many people on her payroll, but everyone is very busy.
So if the Xisha District wants more crops, the professors and researchers at the Xisha District Research Institute will need to plant more.
But she will still provide sufficient technical and planting resource support for crop planting in the Xisha area.
Naturally, the Xisha District had no objections. Thanks to Ye Ning's connections, the professors and researchers at the Xisha District Research Institute had recently gained access to a wealth of high-quality learning resources. Furthermore, they were constantly influxed from wealthy areas like the Capital District, significantly improving their overall level.
Now Ye Ning lets them grow crops on their own, with someone to teach them, open resources, and Ye Ning's help. They are also the first group in the entire federation to start growing crops. It simply couldn't be more perfect than this.
In the afternoon, Ye Ning was raising seedlings in the breeding room when she suddenly received a message notification from her bracelet.
When she clicked on it, she discovered that the last grand prize of the plant treasure hunt in "Source of Life" had been found.
She is a female player.
There was a warm celebration in the game, colorful fireworks bloomed on the screen, accompanied by cheerful music, and the entire game world was cheering for her.
The official Weibo of "Source of Life and Interest" also immediately released relevant celebration and reward news.
Ye Ning immediately logged into the game and appeared at the treasure hunt scene. Then she used her virtual character to take a photo with the player there.
She in the game is basically a one-to-one reproduction of her in reality, and for the sake of distinction, her skin and name in the game are unique.
So in the game, she is like a hidden treasure hunt Easter egg, and everyone hopes to find her in the game and take a photo with her.
She's been so busy lately that she hasn't appeared in the game for a while.
Now it suddenly appeared and immediately attracted everyone's attention.
The official blog of "Source of Life" also published the geographical coordinates of the discovery of the pitcher plant, and also explained the geographical environment and current situation of the area in detail.
Just like every treasure hunt before, this time, the official Weibo account pinned the news along with photos of Ye Ning and the player.
Someone immediately started commenting below.
"I'm so envious. Master Ye Ning actually took the initiative to take a photo with her!"
"She's so lucky, but there are actually plants in the world that eat animals!"
"I looked it up and found out that pitcher plants were once an endangered species, so they became extinct many years ago."
"Then wouldn't it be able to eat Level 2 polluted bees and the like?!"
"That's possible! Plants are naturally very attractive to living things. Pitcher plants are sure to eat everything they eat."
Ye Ning read the comments and thought that using pitcher plants to deal with the swarm of pollutant insects would be almost ineffective, as pitcher plants have very limited predation capabilities. However, it would be a good idea to raise them in a botanical garden for sightseeing, as it would be interesting to observe them consuming insects.
"I'm so envious of her. When can I take a photo with Master Ye Ning?"
"Everyone...why does this place look so familiar to me? The totems on these buildings..."
"I just checked the IP address. This is Emperor Dragon's territory!"
"??? Is this a recent photo? If I remember correctly, no one has lived here for 20 or 30 years, right?"
"The images in the game are all real satellite images, so they must be the latest. I haven't seen any news from this place in years. I didn't expect it to be so completely dilapidated."
"Yes, it was so glorious in the past. This was once the most central and prosperous area of the Federation."
…
That's right, because she's in the photo, it will spread more widely. This high exposure will naturally inspire more heated discussion and observation.
Although we don’t know what’s there yet, if there really is a dark secret, people would probably be afraid of it being exposed and hotly discussed like this.
Ye Ning looked at the comments again, then turned off the bracelet and concentrated on planting.
For her, the most important thing now is the planting and promotion of crops.
After another week, all six crops had achieved maximum optimization.
So Ye Ning's Ecological Research Institute took a day to directly announce the latest research results.
This publication demonstrates great generosity and openness, as they have made their carefully optimized gene sequence publicly available without reservation. Anyone can freely access the relevant information.
This was a decision made jointly by Ye Ning and the R&D researchers.
In reality, these data and research findings are no longer important, as only the seeds of the leaf lime tree possess the ability to absorb new pollutants. Furthermore, the labor and material costs of independently synthesizing the substance far exceed the price of the leaf lime seeds. Therefore, this information serves more as a learning resource.
Fifteen acres of ripe wheat danced in the wind on the sandy ground. The gentle breeze blew, and the wheat waves rolled, with the occasional green stalks peeking through, like nature's most moving music. The golden wheat formed a sharp contrast with the surrounding gray sand.
In the video, they also introduced in detail how to eat wheat.
It can be eaten directly or ground into powder and processed into various delicacies, such as steamed buns, flower rolls, and even biscuits and bread.
In just two months, just two months of large-scale natural cultivation, everyone can eat the fruits of the plant! This news instantly made everyone excited!
At the same time, Xisha District and Gaojiang District also successively released planting plans for establishing comprehensive crop planting bases on their official websites.
The initial plan of Xisha District is to build a 20-acre planting base, but the planting conditions in Gaojiang District are much better and there are many professional personnel.
Therefore, Gaojiang District directly set the plan at 50 mu. They planted 30 mu of the 50 mu of land and distributed it to all schools in Gaojiang District. Edible fungi are easy to grow, only require greenhouses, and can be grown quickly, making them the first choice for cultivation.
The rest of the crops such as rice, potatoes and soybeans were also arranged one by one.
Gaojiang District even organized a planting competition between schools. The school that grows the best crops will receive higher rewards for the plants it is allocated later.
Moreover, Ye Ning already has plans to go to other districts, so Gaojiang District also directly announced that Ye Ning will come in person to share planting experience with the school with the best planting results in the quarter.
The successive incentives directly and effectively stimulated their enthusiasm for learning and planting. So on the day the task was issued, many people stayed up all night to watch and learn the planting videos released by Ye Ning.
Ye Ning was also very generous. She sorted out all the things that could be bought and used in the system, and then packed them up and gave them to Gaojiang District for free.
Compared to ecological restoration plants that can only be looked at but not eaten, crops that can be eaten and directly purify the body are obviously more attractive to orcs.
On the day the message was sent, Ye Ning's research institute received numerous orders for seeds.
Fifteen acres of experimental land was clearly not enough; planting more would also help fix the sand. So Ye Ning had another fifteen acres of land opened up.
A total of 30 acres of land and 20,000 square meters of crop planting area.
All of this was built in a very short time, and the planting area changed almost every day.
Long Qi hasn't been back for some time. He has been placing the plants given by Ye Ning in the restricted area.
The effect was also very significant. The activity of pollutants in the restricted area became weaker and weaker, but he was still some distance away from the central area.
He has been trying to get closer these days, but every time he had to stop because the pollutants were too concentrated.
If it were in the past, he might have rushed forward without a care in the world. But now, as long as he thought of Ye Ning telling him to be careful and not to get hurt, he would stop.
So until now, he still has no way to get close to the central area.
Ye Ning was right, there was definitely more than just the Emperor Dragon's corpse in the central area.
Such concentrated pollutants, such crazy and powerful pollutants, seem to be concentrated in that area.
Long Qi returned and reported the situation to He Yang. He Yang nodded and said, "You've handled the restricted area very well. In the short term, there shouldn't be another wave of pollutants. Ye Ning needs you more. Go back and rest for a few days and protect her."
Long Qi went straight back to his residence.
But when he came back, the scene before him was so completely different from before that it made him stop in his tracks.
The sandy ground near his residence was dotted with a myriad of unnamed flowers and plants. The ecological restoration area ahead was filled with sandy plants of varying heights. In the planting area beyond, the soil was evenly distributed throughout the yellow sand. But either side stretched as far as the eye could see.
Countless robots move above the crops according to established routes and rules, and from time to time you can see a busy researcher in the fields.
He remembered that there didn't seem to be so many plants over there before he left?
Long Qi subconsciously wanted to find Ye Ning first. He sensed her breath and walked straight towards the research institute.
Ye Ning was in a meeting at this time.
After the crops were promoted, the response was very good. Therefore, they have been working overtime to cultivate new seeds and produce related auxiliary planting products.
But as luck would have it, problems have arisen in planting and ecological restoration areas in many parts of the federation.
For example, in one area, too many animals were introduced, causing damage to the plants and the death of many animals. In another area, mushrooms were too damp and slow to grow. Or, the rice became diseased and grew poorly, leading to a food shortage.
In short, each has its own problems.
Logically, they shouldn't have so many problems.
They are all researchers and professors from various research institutes in the district. They have all come to Xisha District for training, and there are also robots to monitor and assist in management. Many researchers think these are fool-proof operations.
But these problems are real. Perhaps it's due to lack of experience and ability. Just teaching videos are not enough for them to learn how to plant according to local conditions. So they have been sending invitations to the research institute recently, hoping that people from the Ye Ning Research Institute can visit and personally guide them in planting.
Today's meeting is to resolve this matter.
The ecological restoration area is mainly promoted by Cang Hao, while crop planting is promoted by Shi Cong.
The two of them gave her the solution a few days ago. After she added some opinions, she was making personnel arrangements today.
But after the arrangements were made, the final focus was on whether Ye Ning should go there in person to take a look. Because as long as she went there in person, all the problems would no longer be a problem. It could also quickly accelerate the plants and quickly overcome their initial fragile period.
The opinions of the crowd were very different.
But most people, especially Cang Hao, did not agree with her going there in person, and thought that sending a researcher would be enough.
Ye Ning actually didn’t want to go right away, because if she went out now she would definitely be taking a huge risk.
It would be safer for her to go out when Long Qi awakens and his abilities reach a higher level.
Furthermore, He Yang, Hou Sen, and Xi Luo Si had all told her that if she really wanted to leave the Xisha area, they would have to arrange for a large group of troops to accompany her.
In the end, Ye Ning showed that she gave up the idea of leaving now after being persuaded by everyone.
Long Qi stood at the door, quietly watching Ye Ning who was in a meeting inside.
When Hou Lin saw him for the first time, he thought he was seeing things, "Why are you back?"
"No, I mean are you done?"
Long Qi nodded slightly.
Hou Lin looked around, then leaned over to him and whispered, "A lot of people have been discussing the Emperor Dragon Territory lately."
"Many people suddenly had the idea to go there and check in."
There were quite a few check-in videos, but none of them had much follow-up, as if it really was just an abandoned area, and then the hype quickly died down.
Long Qi's eyes turned cold.
Seeing his cold expression, Hou Lin didn't say anything else. He stood at the door with him and watched Ye Ning holding a meeting inside.
She is becoming more and more independent, and Hou Lin often feels that it is a pleasure to watch Ye Ning hold meetings here.
But just when Ye Ning's planting plan was in full swing, no one expected that Yan Gang, who had been missing for several months, suddenly appeared.
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