The rice seeds of the "Ben Moon" on the 5th have sprouted

After 23 days on the moon with the Chang'e-5 probe, a batch of rice seeds weighing about 40 grams of "navigational fennel seedlings" landed smoothly with the returner, marking the first time that Rice Breeding in China has completed the deep space mutageng test, which is of landmark significance.
2020, the National Center for Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering held a seed handover ceremony in Beijing on the 5th. It is understood that this batch of "Ben Moon" rice seeds from the South China Agricultural University National Plant Space Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center (hereinafter referred to as the Space Breeding Center). On December 28th, the reporter saw at the Space Breeding Center that some of the "Ben Moon" rice seeds had sprouted and that researchers were preparing for follow-up research.
reporter learned that China is the world's first use of space technology for crop mutation breeding countries. The principle of space breeding is not complicated -- the space environment has the characteristics of high vacuum, microgravity, weak magnetic field and complex radiation, and the complex high-energy heavy ions in space rays impact biological cells, inducing them to produce genetic variation, so that new traits can be obtained.
" variation is the basis of species evolution and an important way to breed new species. Guo Tao, deputy director of the Space Breeding Center, said, "The extreme environment in deep space is a very unique induced mutation factor, which is very important for the selection of new varieties." Guo
, a professor at the University of China, added: "Rice is a model organism in genetic research. The selection of rice for deep space carrying research species evolution not only helps to understand the genetic effects of deep space environment, but also can apply the excellent variation obtained to rice variety selection and breeding, and helps to improve the level of agricultural production. "
, how were the rice seeds selected for this space-breeding exercise?" The selected seed characteristics should match the scientific objectives. Guo Tao said the preferred condition for seeds should be good performance and stability.
after a rigorous scientific "selection", and finally from the space breeding center, "Anastasia silk seedlings" rice seeds stand out. Interestingly, the seed comes from the "space family", and its "father" and "mother" also come from space. One of the parent "China Airlines 31" is the use of space mutagen and modern biological technology to cultivate the super rice, its rice quality up to the national standard of high-quality 2 levels, high resistance to rice pestilence, fertilizer resistance, strong cold resistance, adaptability widely;
an important national scientific research and innovation platform in the field of space breeding in China, the Space Breeding Center has carried out 24 experiments on plant space mutation since 1996. However, compared with the return satellite and Shenzhou spacecraft carried by China's space breeding, this carrying experiment is different.
" this time carried rice seeds after nearly 23 days of flight, in the near-moon orbit long-term exposure to the unique extreme environment of deep space radiation, and encountered the Van Allen radiation belt, sunseed eruption. The length of its space navigation and the complexity of encountering the space environment are indispensable. Guo Tao said that the carried-on experiment is expected to produce stronger genetic effects, which will help to find the difference between deep space and pre-low-Earth orbit effects, and provide important experimental samples and data for in-depth study of the law of space breeding variation.
now, the seeds returning from the "Ben Moon" on the fifth day are lying quietly in the lab.
" is only the first step. Next, through a series of self-interbreeding or hybridization of these rice seeds, researchers will cultivate new varieties of fine rice suitable for future needs in terms of pest resistance, resistance and adaptation to mechanized production. Guo Tao said.
Guo Tao said that the deep space mutation experiment is expected to help people better understand how rice responds to the molecular and genetic mechanisms of the deep space environment, obtain a number of good new genes of important value, and form a perfect key gene utilization technology system to serve the selection of rice varieties, and select a number of high-yielding, high-quality, multi-resistant, green rice varieties to meet the needs of diversified industries.
", carrying the Chang'e-5 for deep space mutation test, belongs to 100% Chinese original, will also produce 100% of the original innovation results. Chen Zhiqiang, director of the Space Breeding Center, said that the deep space mutagenic materials on board the Chang'e-5 should be studied in depth, and he hoped to take this opportunity to carry out systematic research on deep space mutagenics, create, discover and excavate a number of good genes and mutants, cultivate a number of high-quality new varieties, and serve national food production.