South China

Replenishing boron-depleted soil

Agriculturally, south China is divided into a northern tea and rice region and a southern double-cropping rice region. The area is mountainous, and climate and soil quality vary from province to province.

Guangxi province benefits from plentiful sunlight, a mild climate and adequate rainfall, making it an important agricultural center. Thanks to its ideal location, Guangxi’s strong agricultural industry produces more than 1,200 varieties of grain, sugar crops, vegetables, and fruits. Sugarcane production makes up nearly two-thirds of China’s total output. Guangxi is also the largest ethanol producing region, while its yield of jasmine tea comprises more than half of the national output.

In Guangdong province on the South China Sea, less than one-fifth of the land is cultivated but growers maximize yields with repeated planting and heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers to increase production. Food grain crops, primarily rice, occupy most of the cultivated land, but Guangdong also produces much of China’s total output of sugarcane. Many important industrial crops thrive in the province’s tropical climate, including rubber, oil palm, hemp and coffee, as well as more traditional crops such as sweet potatoes, peanuts, and tea.

Situated on the southeastern coast of China, Zhejiang enjoys abundant natural resources, mild temperatures and plenty of rain. With a long history of intensive farming dating back 7000 years, Zhejiang is one of the country’s high-output agricultural regions. Grain and oil-bearing crops, vegetables and melons, edible fungi, medicinal herbs, tea, and fruit are the most commonly grown crops.

Featured regional crops

Tea
Boron deficiency in tea can cause leaves to become thick, leathery, and crinkled.
Read More
Eucalyptus
Boron deficiency is known to reduce the frost hardiness of eucalyptus.
Read More
Sugar cane
Although boron is essential to the health and quality of sugar cane, it’s often the most deficient micronutrient in sugar cane plantations.
Read More

Improve soil conditions with boron supplementation

Soils in southern China are generally poor, with high temperatures and plentiful rainfall resulting in bleaching and leaching. In the wettest and hottest parts of Guangdong, heavily leached, iron-bearing soils are common. These soils do not resist erosion and require substantial fertilizing for cultivation. Regular supplementation with water-soluble boron can prevent leaching throughout the growing cycle and promote healthy root development to keep soil intact.

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Crop Study: Growing Rice in China

China 2013

Case Study Video

Hear the key results of a two-year rice trial, conducted by U.S. Borax and the International Rice Research Institute, on the effect of borates on rice quality... Watch video

U.S. Borax, part of Rio Tinto, is a global leader in the supply and science of borates—naturally-occurring minerals containing boron and other elements. We are 1,000 people serving 650 customers with more than 1,800 delivery locations globally. We supply around 30% of the world’s need for refined borates from our world-class mine in Boron, California, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Learn more about Rio Tinto.

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