LHASA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Three new highland barley varieties have been registered on China's list of non-major crop varieties approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, which permits an extensive promotion of the varieties.

The varieties are named "Zangqing 20," "Zangqing 17" and "Zangqing 3000," according to the Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, which bred them. Highland barley is a crucial food crop in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Tang Yawei, deputy director of the academy's institute of agriculture, said the successful breeding of the varieties is of great significance for ensuring Tibet's food security and promoting rural revitalization.

"Zangqing 17" had been tested growing in alpine areas at an altitude of 4,200 meters to 4,500 meters above sea level, with 320.5 kg in average yield per mu (about 0.07 hectare), 13.9 percent higher than that of the popular barley breed of "Ximala 19," the academy said.

New breed "Zangqing 3000" has been designated by the regional government for demonstrated planting in an area of 92,000 mu this year, close to 5 percent of the total highland barley planting area in Tibet. Its average yield was 291.1 kg per mu in experiments.