Chapter 862 A quota for the Shenzhou spaceship
Later that 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 -
Soybean breeding, the most advanced field in the world is obviously genetic modification.
The United States approved the commercial cultivation 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.
Huaxia is also among them.
The import of genetically modified soybeans has only been opened year by year, as well as genetically modified breeding research with certain restrictions.
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 is not just content with publishing papers.
He hopes that his research results can be truly implemented.
The only feasible way is to engage in cross-breeding.
However, unlike transgenic operations, which can cut and graft gene fragments from different organisms back and forth, cross-breeding can only be carried out between the same species.
Generally, cultivated crops and wild species with richer traits are used
But here's the thing.
Where can he find so many varieties of wild soybeans?
So I'm stuck here.
It wasn’t until the end of last year that something happened that made his research turn for the better.
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.
Use space radiation to randomly mutate these seeds, and then select beneficial varieties 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 to do it 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 enough to participate in this level of competition...
While Zhuang Bingchang was struggling, he placed it on the corner of his desk. The landline phone suddenly rang.
Looking at the area code, it's a number from Beijing.
Postdoctoral fellow Zhuang Bingchang is at the Huaxia Agricultural University in Beijing, so he naturally picked up the receiver:
"Hello, who may I ask?"
The phone number is, of course, Chang Haonan. Called.
"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 just a few months ago. I dare not say that all people in China, at least most of the Chinese people who often pay attention to the news, must have an impression of 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 Aviation Engine Group——
Of course this is also public information, but if you don’t check it out, it won’t seem to be a solution. The Poincaré conjecture was also made public.
Furthermore, 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 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. It should be enough to show that I am Identity.”
"Professor Chang, 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 wasn't that he couldn't maintain the posture just now, but the content in the document!
The desert becomes soil!
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 seriously... it involves China's food security issue.
As a crop breeding expert, Zhuang Bingchang naturally has this judgment.
Even if this 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 converting desert to soil, drought-tolerant, salt-alkali-tolerant soybeans or (and) alfalfa crops are needed.
And this happened to be his research direction.
In fact, Zhuang Bingchang currently has a drought-tolerant soybean in the test field.
It’s a pity that 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 the desert, 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 making a decision, I must explain one thing to you."
"You say."
Chang Haonan took a slow sip of tea and said in a calm tone:
“Crop breeding, especially traditional breeding using hybridization, oftentimes luck is the decisive factor, and the cycle is very long.”
Zhuang Bingchang replied:
"So, even if you 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 is that kind 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, nothing will work.
But midway through his words, Zhuang Bingchang suddenly remembered something.
It was the space breeding issue 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's sudden silence and thought it was a signal problem:
"Can you hear me?"< br>
However, Zhuang Bingchang’s voice soon came back:
“Professor Chang, if you can help me get a spot on the Shenzhou spacecraft, then the probability of breeding success will at least be greater. A lot.”
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 correctly——
Chang Haonan is not familiar with the Aerospace Institute of Beijing Hang University, but he does have a relationship with the Aerospace Institute Very close.
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:
"Huh?"
"Researcher Zhuang, this Shenzhou spacecraft will be launched next year Shenzhou 2, and even Shenzhou 3 in the following year, are unmanned full-state spacecrafts, and even if they are manned, it is impossible for you to go up as a non-professional..."
In fact, we can’t blame Chang Haonan for letting himself go.
After all, before he was reborn, there was already a non-professional astronaut who was a payload expert following Shenzhou 16 into space.
Even his alumni.
It is said that he is still holding a remote meeting with his research team on the space station...
"No... I blame me for not making it clear"
Zhuang Bingchang’s head was 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 will use existing improved seeds and rely on the strong radiation environment of space to promote mutation and see if I can go further. Change the characteristics 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 gave a positive answer in the end.
But I didn’t say it to death:
“I can apply for it for you, but I cannot guarantee the volume or weight quota 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 and talk with you!"< br>
(End of this chapter)