On May 7th, it was reported that the Zhongtian series of alfalfa and oat seeds provided by the Lanzhou Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences have successfully sprouted in the laboratory of the Anti-stress Pasture Breeding and Utilization Innovation Team at the Lanzhou Institute after returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft.
It is reported that the five types of forage seeds, including the Zhongtian series of alfalfa and oats, underwent 11 months of extravehicular radiation in the space radiation biology exposure facility on the Tiangong space station.
This experiment, carried out with the support of the China Academy of Space Technology, aims to study the effects of space radiation on plant seeds and to select forage varieties with stronger stress resistance. After the seeds exposed to space radiation returned to Earth, they were carefully cultivated by researchers at the Lanzhou Institute, resulting in successful germination and growth.
Space breeding is considered an advanced research method that can provide original, safe, and independently intellectual property-protected breeding materials and germplasm sources. All of this stems from the unique environment of space – high vacuum, microgravity, and cosmic radiation. Through space mutagenesis, there is a chance to obtain rare and groundbreaking excellent new germplasm.
Oat seeds. Photo by Fu Jinzhong.
Oat seeds. Photo by Fu Jinzhong.
