Chapter 862 A Spot on the Shenzhou Spacecraft

Later in the day.

Changchun.

Jilin Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Zhuang Bingchang was in the office, looking at a form on the computer screen in front of him with some distress.

He came here from the Agricultural University three months ago, firstly because he completed his undergraduate and master's degrees in this city, and secondly because the Northeast is suitable for the growth of soybean crops, which is in line with his research interests and directions. .

But after obtaining better research conditions, new problems followed one after another——

In soybean breeding, the most advanced field in the world is obviously genetic modification.

The United States approved the commercial planting of genetically modified soybeans in 1994, and Brazil and Argentina in 1998.

These three countries are also major exporters of soybeans.

However, most countries in the world are still more cautious about this. After all, when it comes to gene pool issues, there is no room for sloppiness.

China is also among them.

It has only opened up the import of genetically modified soybeans year by year, as well as certain restrictions on genetically modified breeding research.

This is certainly understandable.

But the problem is that breeding is a bit like engineering. Experimental fields are equivalent to blueprints. If you don't engage in commercial planting, it can only be regarded as a small effort.

Zhuang Bingchang was not content with just publishing papers.

He also hopes that his research results can be truly implemented.

The only feasible way is to engage in cross-breeding.

However, unlike transgenics, which can cut and graft gene fragments from different organisms back and forth, cross-breeding can only be done between species of the same species.

Generally, cultivated crops and wild species with richer traits are used.

But here's the thing.

Where could he find so many varieties of wild soybeans?

So I'm stuck here.

It was not until the end of last year that something happened that turned his research around.

On November 20, 1999, the Shenzhou-1 unmanned spacecraft was launched.

In the return capsule of the spacecraft, a large number of crop seeds were carried.

Space radiation is used to randomly mutate these seeds, and then beneficial varieties are selected for cross-breeding.

That is space breeding.

This is not the first time China has conducted space breeding experiments.

But this is the first time it has been done on a large scale

Compared to searching for wild species all over the world, this operation is obviously much more efficient.

The Shenzhou-2, which is planned to be launched early next year, and the Shenzhou-3, which is planned to be launched early the next year, are good opportunities.

But the problem is that the total amount of cargo carried by the spacecraft is limited, and the quota is really tight.

Although he is somewhat famous in the industry, he is not famous enough to participate in this level of competition...

Just when Zhuang Bingchang was struggling, the landline phone placed on the corner of his desk suddenly rang.

Looking at the area code, it's a number from Beijing.

Postdoctoral fellow Zhuang Bingchang is at the China Agricultural University in Beijing, so he naturally picked up the receiver:

"Hello, who is this?"

The call was naturally made by Chang Haonan.

"I am Chang Haonan from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Are you researcher Zhuang Bingchangzhuang?"

"Yes, what do you want from me?"

Zhuang Bingchang's answer was very concise, but at the same time, his mind was running rapidly.

He had an impression of the name Chang Haonan.

After all, there was such a big round of news only in the past few months. I dare not say that all people in China, at least most of the Chinese people who often pay attention to the news, must be impressed by this name.

But Zhuang Bingchang knew more.

In addition to being a professor at Beijing Hang University, the other party is also an executive of the newly established China Aerospace Engine Group——

Of course, this is also public information, but if you don't check it specifically, it will not be made public like solving the Poincaré conjecture.

What’s more, two years ago, Chang Haonan achieved the bizarre achievement of receiving three National Science and Technology Awards at the same time!

Definitely the boss among the bosses.

However, what makes Zhuang Bingchang a little puzzled is that the other party, who is engaged in aviation, is calling him for what?

So he still retained a little vigilance in his heart.

What if it's a liar?

The two of them had never crossed paths before, and the other person's voice

Fortunately, Chang Haonan on the other side of the phone had already thought of this:

"Researcher Zhuang, you can open your email address, which is the one used for submission. I have sent you an electronic version of the cooperation instructions, and a photo, which is a letter of introduction with the official seal of Beijing Hang University. That should be enough to identify me.”

"Professor Chang, please wait a moment, let me take a look."

In fact, after hearing what Chang Haonan said, Zhuang Bingchang was already convinced.

He held the receiver between his ear and his shoulder, freed his hands to open his browser and enter his email address.

Soon, a photo that was not very clear, but still barely legible, and a PDF document were downloaded to his desktop.

Chang Haonan has switched the phone to speakerphone and is drinking tea with He Guangyou and Zhai Mingguo while waiting for the other party's response.

They were not in a hurry.

Although it was an inter-provincial long distance call, I used the school’s phone anyway.

On the other side, Zhuang Bingchang quickly put the microphone on the table next to him——

It's not that he couldn't maintain the posture just now, but the content in the document!

Desert soil changes!

On a smaller scale, oases can be created in the desert, or at least on the edge of the desert, thereby gradually controlling or even reducing the area of ​​the desert.

And speaking more broadly...

That involves China's food security issue.

As a crop breeding expert, Zhuang Bingchang naturally has this judgment.

Even if the transformed sandy soil cannot grow staple crops, there is no harm in increasing the area of ​​cultivated land.

It would be a great move to move the world, move some suitable cash crops there, and then use the freed land to grow staple foods.

The reason why the other party contacted him was because in the process of transforming desert into soil, drought-tolerant, salt-alkali-tolerant soybeans or/and alfalfa crops were needed.

And this happened to be his research direction.

In fact, Zhuang Bingchang currently has a drought-tolerant type of soybean in the test field.

Too bad they are genetically modified crops.

Even the genes of a cold zone fish were transferred.

In the classification of biological systems, it is a cross-border operation.

Even in desert areas, if you want to cultivate a large area, you may not be able to get approval.

"Professor Chang, I am very interested in your suggestions."

Zhuang Bingchang picked up the microphone again:

"But before I make a decision, I have to explain something to you."

"You say."

Chang Haonan took a slow sip of tea and said in a calm tone:

"In crop breeding, especially traditional breeding using hybridization, luck is often the decisive factor, and the cycle is very long."

Zhuang Bingchang replied:

"So, even if I join, I can't guarantee that it will be taken out within a certain time limit..."

At this point, his voice stopped abruptly.

Originally, Zhuang Bingchang wanted to give Chang Haonan a vaccination.

There is no doubt that the other party belongs to that type of genius scientist.

Generally speaking, when working with this kind of person, you will gain a lot but also be under a lot of pressure.

He is not afraid of pressure, but the problem is that crops don't care whether you are stressed or not.

If it doesn't grow, it means it won't grow. No matter what, it won't work.

But mid-sentence, Zhuang Bingchang suddenly remembered something.

It was the issue of space breeding that he was still worrying about just now.

As a professor at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Chang Haonan, although he is engaged in aviation, seems to be... somewhat related to the aerospace field.

"Hello? Researcher Zhuang?"

Chang Haonan on the other side of the phone heard the other party suddenly lost his voice and thought it was a signal problem:

"Can you hear me?"

However, Zhuang Bingchang's voice soon came again:

"Professor Chang, if you can help me get a spot on the Shenzhou spacecraft, then the probability of successful breeding will at least be much higher."

To put it bluntly, space breeding means that the poor rely on mutation.

As for what happens after the mutation, it all depends on fate.

But as long as you bring enough seeds at once, you can always open the blind box and get something useful.

In fact, Zhuang Bingchang just guessed the process wrong, but he guessed the result right——

Chang Haonan is not familiar with the Aerospace Institute of Beijing Hangzhou University, but he does have a close relationship with the Aerospace Institute.

After all, the National Space Administration also carries the brand of the System Engineering Department of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

But the former would have misunderstood the meaning of the sentence just now, and thought that this quota meant that Zhuang Bingchang wanted to go to heaven.

So I was immediately shocked and almost spit out the tea in my mouth:

"ah?"

"Researcher Zhuang, this Shenzhou spacecraft, the Shenzhou 2 launched next year, and even the Shenzhou 3 the year after that, are all unmanned full-state spacecraft, and even if they are manned, it is impossible for you, a non-professional, to go up... "

In fact, we can’t blame Chang Haonan for letting himself go.

After all, before he was reborn, a non-professional astronaut who was a payload expert followed Shenzhou 16 into space.

Even his schoolmates.

It is said that he is holding remote group meetings with his research team on the space station...

"No...it's my fault for not making it clear."

Zhuang Bingchang’s head is full of black lines:

"It's not that I want to go to heaven, but that I want the seeds I cultivate to go to heaven. I want to use existing improved seeds and rely on the strong radiation environment of space to promote mutation to see if we can further develop the traits we want."

At this time, Chang Haonan also realized that he had just lost his mind.

"If it's just an experimental load..."

He raised his head and thought for a moment.

Although the project in front of us has changed beyond recognition now, in the final analysis, it originated from the National Space Administration.

Coupled with his hundreds of millions of connections with the Science and Technology Commission...

In short, Chang Haonan finally gave a positive answer.

But I didn’t say it to death:

"I can apply for it for you, but I can't guarantee the volume or weight that will be allocated to us in the end."

Regarding the specific quota, Zhuang Bingchang did not raise it at the beginning.

In fact, he was overjoyed to get the first half of the guarantee:

"Okay, then I will rush to the capital as soon as possible in the next few days to meet you and have a detailed chat!"