Scientists in China are planning to plant crops from seeds that were sent to the Moon, with the potential to create more durable and productive crops to feed herds of cows, goats, and sheep.
Weighing 200 grams, the seeds were sourced from northwest China and transported aboard the Chang’e-6 lunar probe, which launched in May of last year and successfully landed on the far side of the Moon. After returning to Earth in June, experts at Xinjiang’s Academy of Animal Science intend to begin planting the seeds in early March.
Their aim is to investigate whether space travel has altered the growth patterns of the grass.
The seeds sent to the Moon include camel thorn and alfalfa, both commonly found in Xinjiang. These plants can survive in salty soil, extreme cold, and dry conditions, according to Zheng Wenxin, vice president of Xinjiang Agricultural University and lead researcher of the project.
Some of these plants are highly nutritious and can grow in tough environments. Experts say they could help stop grasslands from wearing away and fight soil damage in dry farming areas.
4 packages of grass seed samples, which weigh 200 grams and were carried aboard the Chang'e-6 lunar probe, will commence trial planting on Earth in early March, according to Xinjiang's Academy of Animal Science. Herders in Xinjiang may have the chance to feed their cows and sheep… pic.twitter.com/kwG0PjjXpK
— China Focus (@China__Focus) February 21, 2025
Scientists use space breeding to change seeds by exposing them to cosmic radiation and low gravity during space travel.
After the seeds return to Earth, researchers study how they have changed. Some changes are helpful, making the plants grow faster, produce more, and resist diseases better than regular plants.
In June 2022, China sent four types of grass seeds from Xinjiang to the Tiangong space station on the Shenzhou-14 spacecraft. When the seeds came back, scientists found they had improved. They produced about one-third more crops than normal seeds and were also stronger, according to Zheng Wenxin.
Impact of space breeding on agriculture
In the coming years, researchers will keep studying the returned seeds. They will use space breeding, biological breeding, and artificial intelligence to select the best ones. After growing for at least three generations, these plants will develop stable traits, creating a stronger and higher-quality variety.
Zheng Wenxin admitted that artificial intelligence has not yet been actively used in the research.
In recent years, space breeding has gained widespread attention in China. Scientists have sent various crops, including rice, wheat, mushrooms, and tea plants, into space using recoverable satellites. After their return to Earth, these crops are studied and cultivated further.
Records indicate that over 3,000 space breeding experiments have been conducted, resulting in the development of more than 240 types of staple grains and various new varieties of vegetables, fruits, grasses, and flowers.
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