Vinh Long applies science and technology in production.

Harvesting high-quality, low-emission rice in Chau Thanh commune, Vinh Long province.

According to the Provincial Department of Science and Technology, the locality is currently managing and implementing 373 science and technology projects; including 17 national-level projects, 270 provincial-level projects, and 86 local-level projects. The research results have created 15 new varieties, developed 299 application models for production, transferred advanced technologies, and improved the productivity and competitiveness of the province's key agricultural products.

In particular, the selective breeding, preservation, and conservation of certain genes related to high-quality plant, animal, and aquatic species for production, adapted to local conditions, is being implemented. Biotechnology is being researched, applied, and developed in the selection, restoration, hybridization, and rapid propagation of plant varieties, such as the cultivation of waxy coconut embryos; and the restoration of the wild bean variety, achieving a germination rate of 95% and a yield of 6 tons/ha.

Over 95% of the province's cattle herd has been crossbred with Sind cattle, based on the local yellow breed.

Tra Vinh University has also mastered the technology for producing Cordyceps sinensis mushrooms and is conducting commercial production in both fresh and dried forms. In the province, 80% of the rice-growing area uses certified and high-quality seeds from genetic engineering, and farmers are beginning to adopt the habit of using organic fertilizers and biological pesticides.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Minh Hoa, Rector of Tra Vinh University, said that for many years, the university has been conducting scientific research and selecting high-yielding, high-quality coconut varieties that are adaptable to climate change, serving the economic and social development requirements of the province.

The school has successfully implemented a method of propagating waxy coconuts using embryo culture techniques and is capable of supplying the market with more than 5,000 seedlings per year. Besides the advantage of improved wax quality, embryo-cultured waxy coconuts are also adaptable to changing climate conditions, with a wax content of 85% or higher, compared to only 25-30% for naturally grown waxy coconuts.

The school also collaborated with a research group from the National Key Laboratory of Plant Tissue Culture - Institute of Agricultural Genetics to carry out the project "Research on coconut propagation using tissue culture technology and intensive cultivation techniques for tissue-cultured coconut varieties".

As a result, the process of propagating waxy coconuts using tissue culture methods has been successfully implemented. After 4 years of trial planting, the cultured waxy coconut trees grew well, adapted to the soil and climate conditions in Vinh Long, and produced waxy coconuts with thick flesh and good quality.

The former Tra Vinh Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee have agreed on the policy to continue supporting the school in perfecting the process of propagating waxy coconuts using tissue culture methods in phase 2, while also combining this with the selection and propagation of high-yield, high-quality coconuts that are adaptable to climate change, serving the task of socio-economic development in the future.

Grafted wax coconuts have thick flesh and a stable wax content.

According to Mr. Truong Hoa Thuan, Director of Phuoc Hao Agricultural Cooperative in Hung My commune, implementing a high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation model, cooperative members have applied methods such as sparse sowing, alternating wet and dry irrigation, and synchronized mechanization; using row planters and sowing rice in clusters, helping to reduce the amount of seeds used by 60 to 70 kg/ha; alternating wet and dry irrigation helps save irrigation water, etc. As a result, rice yield is about 0.5 tons/ha higher, production costs are reduced by 10-15% compared to the control model, and cooperative members increase profits by 6-9 million VND/ha/rice crop.

With its unique soil and climate conditions, the mandarin orange trees grown in Long Tri hamlet, Binh Phu commune, yield high productivity, producing large fruits with thin skins, a sweet and refreshing taste, a glossy appearance, and a long shelf life.

Recently, the area planted with mandarin oranges has been declining due to aging trees and pest infestations. Most farmers are using inferior varieties for new plantings. To address the issue of preserving the mandarin orange variety, the province has selected healthy, disease-free individuals free from citrus greening to preserve, propagate, and introduce into mass production. Following this, the Thuan Phu Mandarin Orange Cooperative in Binh Phu commune plans to encourage its members to expand their cultivation to 200 hectares, practicing organic farming and using biological fertilizers.

Furthermore, in livestock farming, the province has improved and upgraded the size of its cattle herd, with over 95% now being Sind and Zebu breeds, derived from the local yellow cattle breed. Regarding aquaculture, the province is conducting trial farming of Pacific oysters, yellowfin snapper, and salt-tolerant catfish to assess their adaptability, thereby developing commercial farming models that bring economic benefits to the people.

The model of raising all-male giant freshwater prawns in Long Hoa commune helps farmers increase their income.

According to Nguyen Quynh Thien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Vinh Long province, after the merger, the province has strengths in coconut, seafood, pomelo, and specialty fruit trees. Science, technology, the digital economy, and green transformation are driving forces for sustainable economic and social development. Therefore, in the coming time, the province will focus on accelerating the application of scientific and technological advancements in agricultural production, linking it with deep processing, and improving people's livelihoods.

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