Wild grape patent advances Three Gorges ecological restoration
2026-07-11 19:07:02
By Gao Qing
A newly granted invention patent is helping advance ecological restoration in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area by turning flood-tolerant wild grape vines into a practical solution for rebuilding riparian vegetation.
Jointly developed by the Three Gorges Botanical Garden, the Yichang Dalaoling Nature Reserve Administration, and Hubei Hongfenglin Technology Development Co., the new technology fills a technical gap in restoring flood-resistant woody vegetation on the harsh riparian lands of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, offering a local solution to a global challenge in riparian restoration.
Riparian zones are seasonally exposed reservoir shorelines in Hubei and Chongqing, shaped by water-level regulation for flood control and power generation. Frequent shifts between drought and submergence make it difficult for most plants to survive.
A newly granted invention patent is helping advance ecological restoration in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area by turning flood-tolerant wild grape vines into a practical solution for rebuilding riparian vegetation.
Jointly developed by the Three Gorges Botanical Garden, the Yichang Dalaoling Nature Reserve Administration, and Hubei Hongfenglin Technology Development Co., the new technology fills a technical gap in restoring flood-resistant woody vegetation on the harsh riparian lands of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, offering a local solution to a global challenge in riparian restoration.
Riparian zones are seasonally exposed reservoir shorelines in Hubei and Chongqing, shaped by water-level regulation for flood control and power generation. Frequent shifts between drought and submergence make it difficult for most plants to survive.
Wild mulberry-leaf grape plantSince 2018, researchers have surveyed flood-tolerant plants along reservoir banks. They screened native wild mulberry-leaf grape strains with outstanding flood resistance and completed seedling breeding, flood-tolerance trials, and field planting tests.
Three years of continuous field monitoring have shown encouraging results. The grape vines remain fully submerged from October to April each year, sprout rapidly after the water recedes, and form dense vegetation within two months. Planted as two-year-old potted seedlings with soil stabilization, they maintain high survival rates and strong root systems under six months of annual flooding, greatly improving slope vegetation coverage.
This native Three Gorges vine is characterized by fast growth, strong stress resistance, and wide adaptability. Its cutting propagation supports large-scale planting, and its climbing branches help restore damaged reservoir bank ecosystems.
The team will continue to study its flood-resistance mechanism, develop water-tolerant grape rootstocks, and promote the patented restoration technology across the reservoir area.
Zheng Yan, Gao Han, Qi Song also contributed to this story
