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Hainan to grow agricultural products from seeds that went to space

These include rice grains, corn, pitaya and passion fruit seeds

HAIKOU /China/, 10 November. /TASS/. Specialists of breeding laboratories in South China's Hainan Province have started analysing and cultivating agricultural samples from seeds that spent two weeks in orbit under the conditions of microgravity, the Nanguo Metropolis Daily reported.

According to the newspaper, 50 kilograms of samples of about 60 species of plants and microorganisms that have been in near-Earth space, including rice grains, corn seeds, pitaya (dragon fruit) and passion fruit, will soon be a part of an extensive research. They are expected to be used to develop efficient cash crops that will contribute to the PRC's food security.

These strategic experimental resources have been handed over to 23 research institutions in the province. According to the Hainan Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, at this stage, scientists are selecting the most promising biological materials, identifying potential problems and evaluating the results of special factors.

Scientists working in the feild of selective breeding will pick high-yielding, drought-resistant, disease-resistant and salt-tolerant varieties. Tomato, pepper and aubergine seeds will also receive special attention. The ultimate goal is to improve the competitiveness of Hainan's agricultural producers in the agricultural market.

"Space breeding is a very important selection method. Through mutagenesis, we can speed up the breeding cycle," said Pan Yongzhen, a senior researcher at Yazhouwan State Laboratory (Sanya City). She said the breeding materials would undergo a series of important tests before reaching the food basket.

On 27 September, China successfully launched a new-generation experimental retrievable and reusable Shijian-19 satellite, into orbit. It was used to carry out various microgravity tests. Seeds selected by the breeding laboratories of Hainan, eastern Anhui Province and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China were tested. The orbiting samples returned to Earth on 11 October and were delivered to China's southernmost province in early November.

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