New discovery of two wild plants

Both species are available naturally and are degraded. A tree only grows on muddy mud; a tree that doesn't like water, only lives on degraded wasteland.

Not only are efforts to bring them back to nature, scientists also look out for the two species .

Plants keep silt for swamp

Dr. Tuong with diesel tree cuttings from branches

A few years ago, there was a grass that naturally grows in marshes that farmers have to take a lot of effort to clean up. But recently this species has been replanted by many shrimp farmers in Dong Hai, Gia Rai, Bac Lieu provinces.

Explaining this change, Mr. Dang Van Huy, a shrimp farmer in hamlet 2, Tan Phong commune, Gia Rai district, said he noticed that when growing grass, the area of ​​shrimps is about 30%. fast and less dead, even if the drought is prolonged by heavy sun.

The grass is also known as the sea oyster, which belongs to the wild family, the scientific name is Scirpus littoralis Schrad. They grow naturally in coastal marshes.

Dr Duong Van Ni, director of the Hoa An Center for Biodiversity Experimental Research - Can Tho University, said: "In the natural ecosystem of coastal marshes, sea mussels are pioneers growing on the ground. sludge, which helps to retain the sediment layer In the shrimp pond and marine ecosystem, it helps to stabilize the water temperature and reduce pollutants caused by excess shrimp feed ".

On that basis, the research team led by Dr. Ni used an ecosystem approach, using sea mussels, a plant available in coastal marsh ecosystems, to exploit. Seaweed can live with very thick density, from 800-1,000 trees per 1m2, the intertwined root system of the tree is the place to filter salt and keep the soil very well. During the development of sea mussels, the young shoots are also a source of food for crabs, shrimps, fishes . By the end of the dry season, when the tree fades and dies, the stems provide the source of the material. Important organic.

Trees keep green for arid lands

The team also helped farmers do business with seagrass meadows.In the photo: the products are woven with mussel grass

In the process of understanding the plants used to treat diseases, Dr. Le Vo Dinh Tuong, Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Chemistry and Natural Products, accidentally discovered diesel trees - a species suitable for renovating and greening wasteland.

" This plant has very high drought tolerance properties when grown on arid lands, plants increase humidity for the environment, humus and the ability to store water for the soil, " said Dr Tuong.

Diesel plants belonging to the castor family, originating from Central American countries, scientific name is Jatropha carcus L. In Vietnam, diesel plants are present very early, growing in mountainous areas, mainly grown by people to do The fence should also have a folk name called a picket pole.

In the past few years, people in some localities still know how to take the fruit of a tree to squeeze biodiesel so the tree is called a diesel. " The test results show that for every 1 hectare of diesel plants, 1,000-3,000 liters of biodiesel will be produced. Diesel oil extracted from the fruits of the tree can be used directly for diesel engines but the machine still works well " - TS Tuong to speak.

Not only do the fruits produce oil, the research team also found the remaining parts of the plant such as stems, tops, leaves, shells, roots, resins . can be used to make medicine for treatment: hemostasis, laxative colon (sap); Hemorrhoids, snake bites (tree roots); treatment of malaria (leaves), white blood cells.

The research team raised the cuttings of high-yield varieties to test this plant in the deserted area of ​​Le Hong Phong, Bac Binh district and Vinh Hao commune, Tuy Phong district (Binh Thuan province). Plants grow fast and after one year can produce fruits. Dr. Tuong said that trees can live for 50-60 years, from the fifth year onwards the trees will produce fruits with high productivity.

The good news of the research team recently received in this June is the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, Lai Chau Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Son La Department of Science and Technology have officially sent a letter to the cooperation group. Testing diesel plants in fallow lands of this province. Dr. Tuong cherished: in Vietnam, we can completely grow this diesel plant on an industrial scale to justify the dry hills and biodiesel production.

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