Arobot for vegetable planting is able to examine growing conditions, detect disease of the vegetables and pick up the ripe ones through identifying the color; a tomato tree is able to produce up to 3,000kgs of tomatoes; sweet potatoes are growing in the air; fish and vegetables are living together harmoniously…Viewing these, you may doubt that you were in a fancy world. Actually, you are here at the 12th China (Shouguang) International Vegetable Sci-tech Fair.
Technology shines out brightly
The fair, which is themed around “green agriculture, science and future”, lasted for one month since April 20 in Shouguang City, China’s largest vegetable production base which is known as “Vegetable Town of China” in eastern Shandong Province.
It was designed to display advanced agricultural technologies and vegetable culture development. Various planting technologies and techniques made their debut at the fair, indicating a new trend in vegetable cultivation.
The aforementioned robot may be the most dazzling star at the fair. The intelligent robot, self-developed by the organizing committee and several Shouguangbased institutions, is responsible for management of vegetable in the Pavilion of Future where it works.

By means of high control technology, the robot, on its own track, can assess the vegetables’ growing environment, such as temperature, humidity and light, thereby they can water the plants. The robot can also detect the ripe vegetables with the help of the application programmed in it. Further, it is able to find out the diseases of the vegetables and pluck the ripe ones.
It is amazing to have a robot, instead of human beings, manage the vegetable garden. Probably, this is the first time that a robot s able to detect the ripe vegetables by identifying their changed colors. Though the robot is just kept for display and whether it can handle plantation completely is still not certain, it is helpful for farmers and firms for sure.
The Plant Factory, making its second appearance this year, has hogged attention from visitors and media. It is actually a man-made entironment or an artificial greenhouse with LCD light source. The Factory is composed by enviromental close system and control system of light, temperature, moisture, carbon dioxide as well as nutrition.
The lighting source, the energy source of plants’ growth, is the key in the system. Besides, the application of nutrient solution can speed up the crops’ growth.
By means of automatic computer control, it can control the temperature and humidity, supply carbon dioxide and apply ultravioet sterilization, based on vegetables’ growing needs.
As it saves water, electricity as well as earth, the Factory can produce more vegetables, several times of those cultivated in traditional ways. Therefore, vegetable production will no long be limited by region, sunshine, etc. Moreover, in the totally enclosed system, aseptic production is possible without using any chemicals to wipe out insects.
Experiments prove that vegetables growing in this environment, have no difference with those common in terms of vitamin, sugar content and taste. Considering food safety, the Factory enjoys great advantage as it can produce high quality organic vegetables.
The Plant Factory has made it possible for environment-friendly agriculture. At the forefront of modern agriculture, it frees agriculture production from bondage of nature, foretelling the future development of agriculture.
The cultivation mode “Vegetables above, fish below” is also appealing to visitors. It is a cultivation circulation mode through comprehensive utilization of resources. The mode works in the following way: fish are raised in the pond, while the vegetables are cultivated with aerosol. Then the fish excrement can be used as the vegetables’ nutrient solution after degradation and filtration, and the residue, after the absorption of the vegetables, will be discharged to the pond again. In this way, space, fertilizer and water are saved by making full use of them.
Flying Saucer Cultivation Mode is aimed at producing vegetables in outer space, by simulating the


growing conditions of vegetables. The mode covers artificial LED light source, control systems for temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide, etc. Hopefully, it may help meet the needs of vegetables in space exploration and ocean navigation.
There are still many other cultivation patterns, such as Aerosol Cultivation, Vertical Cultivation, Tower Vertical Cultivation, Rolling Plantation, Balcony Single Plant Plantation, etc. Various kinds of technologies are shining out here and there at the fair.
“I am so thrilled by these technologies that I have never seen before,” said Mr. Zhang from Jining, a city in Shandong Province.
Technology rooted in villages
One may doubt these technologies are only showcased at the fair, but not used in actual production. Actually, this is not true. Some of the techniques are being applied in farm lands or factories.
Sanyuanzhu Village, the birthplace of the country’s greenhouse technology, has seen the increasing use of technology in its plantation and production of vegetables. This characteristic village has four demonstration greenhouses which have links with a digital display, showing the temperature and moisture inside the greenhouses, for efficient management.
This is a beginning of the Internet of Things (IOT). Now the houses themselves have entered their fifth generation.
Relying on its greenhouse technology, the village is attracting visitors from all over the country for study or tourism. A visitor center has been established in the village.
“Our village is eyeing multi-development and we have more and more visitors these years. A new training school is to be established for the promotion of the greenhouse technology nationwide, in response to Prisident Hu Jintao’s entrustment. During his visit to our village, he asked Wang Leyi, secretary of the village Party branch, to do so,” Wang Baoquan, the village chief of Sanyuanzhu, told China’s Foreign Trade.
“The ozone sterilization system and remote monitoring system have been used in the greenhouses. Some of the technologies showcased at the fair are suitable for sight-seeing agriculture, while some are beneficial for actual cultivation,”said Ma Yingqun, assistant to the village chief.
“This is my third time here for study of their technologies and experience, since farmers in my village still need effective ways to get rid of poverty and become better off,” said Wang Shifeng, the village secretary form Zepan Village of Longyao County, Hebei Province.