The 17th International Peatland Congress kicked off in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, on Aug 5 and will run until Aug 9.

A group of 189 experts and scholars from around the world participated in the investigation of peat applications in Taizhou on Aug 7.

At the Taizhou Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Park, the innovative use of peat in root-restricted cultivation of perennial sweet cherry trees caught the attention of the visiting group.

"The cultivation substrates currently used are mainly peat, loess, organic fertilizers, and perlite," said Hong Li, director of the horticulture institute at the Taizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

The cultivation method not only ensures automated and precise water and fertilizer supply but also enables cultivation in challenging environments like saline-alkali marshlands, free from traditional soil constraints.

Zhang Jie, deputy dean of the School of Life Science at Shanxi Normal University, highlighted Taizhou's achievements in peat applications. "Next, by refining scientific research results and enhancing their quality, the application can be extended to field agriculture, promoted to farmers nationwide and even globally."

"This conference has showcased Taizhou's achievements to the world," said Guus van Berkel, first vice-president of the International Peatland Society. "It marks the first step for Taizhou in the peat industry, and in the future, there will be more opportunities for collaboration with enterprises worldwide."