After two years of "wake-up" Yuanmingyuan ancient lotus bloom

) lotus, widely planted in our country since ancient times. Did the ancients see the same lotus flowers as they do today? Recently, Yuanmingyuan archaeological excavation of 6 of the 11 ancient lotus seeds, after the Chinese Academy of Sciences Plant Research Institute to cultivate a living, in the Yuanmingyuan lotus base flowering, to meet the curiosity of modern people.
Zhang Zhijin, a senior experimenter at the Institute of Plant Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a major participant in the work, told the China Science Daily that the 11 ancient lotuss were unearthed in 2017 during archaeological work at Jingxiang Pool in Yuanmingyuan, three of which will be used for carbon 14 years, the results of which will be revealed in September this year. Six of the remaining eight were carefully bred by scientists for two years and eventually "resurrected".
lotus planted in ancient lotus seeds is no different from today's lotus flowers, ancient lotus seeds can survive underground for more than a hundred years, its structure is indispensable. Its outer skin has a thick and dense fence tissue, making the inside of the seed less susceptible to external corrosion. At the same time, lotus long buried in the ground, free from air interference, temperature constant, easy to long-term preservation. In addition, the presence of compounds such as ascortic acid and glutathione in lotus is several times higher than in other plants, and the presence of these compounds is also an important reason for lotus to live longer and maintain germination.
However, due to deep underground days, the shell of ancient lotus seeds hardened, individuals are smaller than modern hybrid lotus seeds, there is generally a problem of germination difficulties;
To "wake up" these ancient lotus seeds, the researchers used professional means, first in the laboratory for the seeds shell, and then in the outdoor pot cultivation, until last autumn after falling leaves put into the greenhouse for the winter, until April this year transferred to the Yuanmingyuan lotus base.
since the 1950s, the Institute of Plant Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has successfully bred ancient lotus unearthed in Dalian Plant Shop, Beijing, Kaifeng and Zhangqiu, and has accumulated rich experience.
is understood that the current "resurrection" of the oldest pre-prycourt gulianzi can be traced back up to 1000 years ago. "By 'awakening' hundreds and thousands of years of ancient lotus, we can study the protective mechanism of the lotus skin and its bionic principles, and we can explore and exploit the scientific value of it." Zhang said.