China tests growing potato seeds that have been on the space station for over 180 days

Chinese researchers began test cultivation of 66,500 potato seeds that had been in space for more than 180 days aboard the Shenzhou 16 spacecraft. Zhang Linhai, director of the Technology Innovation Center of Sishen Potato Industry, who began the test cultivation, said, “Seed germination, cultivation, “After transplanting, we plan to select excellent seed varieties for further evaluation,” he said. Space breeding involves exposing seeds or strains to space radiation and space microgravity to create genetic mutations, creating new products with shorter growth periods, increased yields, and superior disease resistance. This refers to creating a species or variety. Researchers at the center in Shangdu County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, northern China, experimented with using cutting-edge gene editing technology to aid traditional genetic breeding of potato varieties with salt-alkali tolerance and high yields. Director Jang said this approach could have the potential to reduce ...