Now, after almost four years of experiments, the team has expanded to more 660 hectares of desert, and the crops grown there provide feed for livestock on nearby farms.

The team said the technology has been applied in many places, including Hainan and Sichuan provinces and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The experimental area encompasses more than 1,300 hectares nationwide, with Hotan being the largest single area.

"This year, we will see if we can enter the stage of industrializing the technology. Perhaps one day it will provide a way for controlling desertification in Hotan," Yi said.