Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1483036
48 tobaccoasia Issue 6, 2022 November / December Energy conservation and emission reduction is neither about reducing productivity nor non-emit- ting, but about prioritizing green and low-carbon development. In recent years, China's tobacco in- dustry, from tobacco pest control to the energy management of a tobacco factory, is accelerating to embrace green and low-carbon development with new technology and new energy. A tiny flying insect weaves a web of biocontrol technology "About 30 to 50 arma chinensis are introduced to one mu (666.7 sq.km.) of tobacco fields," said Yang Cairong, a tobacco farmer from Qiannan, Guizhou province. "After three or four years of continuous implementation, the pests basically go extinct." In the past, pesticides were used to pro- tect the tobacco leaves which were often chewed by pests. However, now the leaves are in good condition because of this green prevention and control implementation. Introducing parasites and predators to con- trol native pests is a typical case of biological pest management which has a long history of applica- tion in China. Advantages of this method include a clear target, no pollution, no residue, and sus- tainability, creating significant ecological benefits. Take asaphes vulgaris Walkers against aphides. The former put its eggs in the aphid's body to de- velop into larvae, pupae, until it becomes an asa- phes vulgaris Walker. This new life process is also the course of the aphides dying. As early as the 1970s, China started the r&d on asaphes vulgaris Walkers but this remained stuck in the laboratory stage. After over 20 years of dedi- cated research, tobacco personnel with China To- bacco (Yunnan) finally broke through, developed a whole chain of patented technologies involved in "breeding, harvesting, storage, transportation and use" under their own control, and built the world's largest production base of aphidius gifuensis ash- mead, realizing efficient and precise biological con- trol of aphids in farmland ecosystems. Since 2010, the technology has been applied to more than 210 million mu of crops, directly benefiting more than 1 million households; totally decreasing more than 5,000 tons of chemical pesticides for aphid control, saving RMB6.089 billion in control costs, creating significant social and ecological benefits. The promotion and application of aphidius gifuensis ashmead technology started the journey to biological control technology in China, allowing agriculture and ecological civilization to achieve natural integration in the way of ecological agri- culture. The Asaphes vulgaris Walker biological management technology is only a microcosm of China Tobacco's Green Development The expanding propagation base of Asaphes vulgaris Walker and Arma chinensis in Weng'an, Guizhou province. By TobaccoChina Online