On Aug 5, 1987, China launched
its fi rst seed samples into
space, opening a new chapter
in the country’s space-induced
mutation breeding. Since then,
Chinese scientists have sent
more than 30 batches of seeds
into space, using a range of satel-
lites and spacecraft, the China
Aerospace Science and Technol-
ogy Corp said.
Chengcheng county in Shaanxi
province is home to Piperis
dahongpao, a variety of spice
commonly known as big red robe
peppercorn that is widely used in
Chinese cuisine.
The spice has been used since
the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220
A.D.) for cooking, medicine, ritu-
als and even for palace decora-
tions, according to the Kunming
Institute of Botany, Chinese
Academy of Sciences.
However, it has a notoriously
low yield and is diffi cult to harvest
because the plant stems are
covered with sharp thorns. For
centuries it was considered a
“tribute spice” enjoyed only by
the privileged, the best-known
being Empress Dou of the Han
Dynasty, who decorated her
chamber with the condiment tosignify fertility and prestige.
It is still not cost-eff ective to
produce this spice.
“A laborer can only pick about
7.5 kilograms (16.5lb.) of this
peppercorn a day, and after it is
dried in the sun, less than 2kg. is
left,” said Guo Rui, director of the
Shaanxi Provincial Engineering
Research Center for Plant Space
Breeding.
In 2016 Guo and his team sent
some of the spice seeds into orbit
for 12 days aboard the Shijian-10
recoverable science satellite.
The team was aiming to create
a new variety of peppercorn
with stronger resistance to wind
and disease, but it discovered
something far more exciting: the
thorns on the stems had disap-
peared.
“Generating unexpected new
traits is one of the main features
of space-induced mutation
breeding,” Guo said.
Liu Luxiang, deputy director
of the Institute of Crop Sciences,
Chinese Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, said in a public lecture
in October that while space
mutagenesis is a promising tech-
nology, the way in which space
aff ects plant seeds is extremelycomplex and diffi cult to control
and evaluate.
“Only a tiny fraction of seeds
exposed to space will have
mutations, and not all of them will
produce desirable traits.”
As a result, sending seeds into
space is merely the start of creat-
ing a new variety. The bulk of the
research is about growing the re-
turned seeds in diff erent testing
fi elds over several generations to
produce a crop that can reliably
showcase desirable traits.
Scientists sometimes cross-
breed space crops with other
varieties to create hybrids that
inherit favorable traits from their
parents, Liu said.
“Ground tests can be a very ar-
duous process that typically take
at least four years to complete.”
Guo said his thornless pep-
percorn is undergoing fi eld tests,
and it is hoped that more traits
can be changed to enable it to be
harvested by machine, greatly
increasing the yield and raising
farmers’ earnings.
“Space crops have played a
major role in alleviating poverty,
developing local economies and
creating unique products,” he
said.Forbidden City Concert Hall. “I
could imagine the moment when
the marathon concert ends with
musicians and audiences singing
Ode to Joy together.”
“Chinese classical music lovers
are very familiar with Beethoven,”
said veteran music critic Wang
Jiyan.“His nine symphonies
cover pretty much every facet of
human existence in one way or
another.”
Conductor Li said:
“Beethoven’s music works standtall at the center of musical his-
tory. His music keeps on inspiring
and challenging musicians of
diff erent generations. Today
we celebrate not only the great
composer but also the humanity
and emotion embedded in his
harmonic impulses.”
Li spent around 15 years in Eu-
rope when he was young. When
he was in Germany he visited
Bonn, where Beethoven had fi rst
displayed his prodigious talent,
he said.GENERATING
UNEXPECTED
NEW TRAITS IS
ONE OF THE MAIN
FEATURES OF
SPACE-INDUCED
MUTATION
BREEDING.”
GUO RUI,
DIRECTOR OF SHAANXI PROVINCIAL
ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTER
FOR PLANT SPACE BREEDING
‘‘
Under the
baton of
conductor Li
Biao, a string of
concerts called
the Beethoven
Marathon are
presented
in Beijing.
PROVIDED TO
CHINA DAILYAdditional information is on fi le with the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
Scientists select the
healthiest and most
genetically stable seeds.
If seeds are not of the
best quality, it is difficult
for researchers to assess
the effect outer space
has on a sample.Sample seeds are launched
into space via balloons,
satellites or spacecraft. In
2006, China launched the
Shijian-8 retrievable
research satellite, the
world’s first and only
satellite for mutagenesis
in space.Seeds typically orbit Earth
for a week, with some
remaining in space for up to
27 days. They are exposed
to conditions in space, such
as microgravity, extreme
cold and a diverse range of
cosmic rays, through use of
a special container.Scientists plant the space
seeds at numerous test
sites and grow them for
several generations to
determine a crop that can
reliably produce desirable
traits. This process takes
at least four years.Space crop candidates are
planted at test sites
nationwide to assess if they
can flourish in different
conditions. After several
years, a committee
evaluates a crop’s
performance to certify
it for mass-planting.The seeds return to Earth.
China, the United States
and Russia are the only
countries to date to
master recoverable
satellite technologies.HOW SPACE CROPS ARE PRODUCED
Source: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences MUKESH MOHANAN / CHINA DAILY1 2 3 4 5 6
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Big red robe peppercorns and
beetroot have been cultivated using
mutagenesis.
PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY