Chinese wildrye is the major grass variety of west Jilin's grassland, which covers some two million hectares of land.

The Chinese wildrye belt plays an important role in conserving water resources, regulating wind and sand, and balancing the biological system, said Wang Keping, director of the engineering center.

Excessive cultivation and farming efforts have degraded up to 90 percent of the grassland, with 50 percent of the grassland totally disappearing, a local investigation has revealed.

The new center will focus on researching, developing and industrializing the Chinese wildrye resources, and offering high-quality seeds as well as advanced technology to revitalize the grassland.

The center consists of six organizations, including the Jilin Biological Research Institute, Jilin Agricultural University and the Northeast China Teachers' University.

(Xinhua 11/24/2000)