随着神舟十八号载人飞船返回舱在东风着陆场着陆，又有一批新的太空实验样品返回地球。近日，农业专家董琦在山西省的晋中国家农业高新技术产业示范区航天育种试验田考察旱稻后代材料，显得格外激动。
Dong Qi, an agricultural expert, was thrilled to reap a batch of upland rice in a special experimental field in the Jinzhong National Agricultural High-Tech Industry Demonstration Zone in Shanxi province.
在山西省晋中国家农高区航天育种试验田，农业专家、山西农业大学教授董琦（右）对旱稻后代材料进行田间考察
与其他水稻品种不同，这里栽培的品种是2023年5月跟随神舟十六号乘组搭载实验项目进入太空，并在中国空间站内完成称为“太空诱变”的育种过程。
Different from other rice varieties, seeds in the high-tech zone are the descendants of upland rice seeds that were carried into space by the Shenzhou XVI crew in May 2023 and underwent a genetic mutation process called "space breeding" inside the Tiangong space station.
来自晋中国家农高区等单位推荐的9个品种种子，包括旱稻、高粱、玉米和小麦，被送往太空进行诱变搭载实验。在任务期间，它们在宇宙射线、微重力、高真空等特殊环境作用，使种子产生变异。
A total of nine crop seeds, including upland rice, sorghum, corn, and wheat, from the high-tech zone were sent to space for mutagenesis experiments. They were exposed to cosmic radiation and microgravity during the mission, resulting in genetic mutations.
回到地球上，科学家们对变异种子进行筛选评估，其中一些变异的种子特性受到农民青睐，如更高的产量、更短的生长期和更好的抗病性。
Back on Earth, scientists evaluated these mutations, some of which gave the seeds properties favored by farmers, such as greater yield, shorter growth period, and better resistance to diseases.
经过150多天的空间诱变搭载实验，旱稻种子于去年10月31日返回地球，并被送往海南省的国家南繁科研育种基地进行扩繁。
The upland rice seeds returned to Earth on Oct 31 last year, after more than 150 days in space, and were sent to be multiplied at the national seed breeding base in Hainan province.
山西农业大学教授董琦说：“太空育种是一种基本手段，类似于杂交育种和辐射育种。但对于太空育种来说，它的环境更有价值，这是在地球上模拟不了。”
"Space breeding is a fundamental method, similar to hybrid breeding and radiation breeding. But for space breeding, the environment holds more value, which cannot be replicated on Earth," said Dong, a professor at Shanxi Agricultural University.
他补充道：“传统育种通常需要8到10年的时间，但太空育种有可能将时间缩短一半。这些种子从外观看起来没有什么不同，但内部其实已发生遗传变异。”
"Traditional breeding usually takes eight to 10 years, but space breeding has the potential to reduce the time by half. Such seeds do not look any different, but undergo important genetic variations internally," he added.
晋中国家农高区有机旱作项目负责人贾宇琛表示，山西地处黄土高原，气候干旱，降雨量少，非常适合种植和推广旱稻新品种。
Jia Yuchen, head of the organic dryland agriculture project at the high-tech zone, said that Shanxi, located on the Loess Plateau, which has an arid climate and low rainfall, is highly suitable for the cultivation and promotion of new varieties of upland rice.
他说：“我们计划在经过产量、抗性、品质等选育过程中，在5到6年的时间选择出适应山西气候和土壤特点的新品种，对提高中国粮食产量和农民增收具有重要意义。”
"We plan to select new varieties suitable for the climate and soil characteristics of Shanxi within the next five or six years after verifying aspects such as yield, resistance and quality," he said, adding that it is of great significance to increase grain production and farmers' income in China.
作为全国首批的国家级农业高新技术产业示范区，晋中国家农高区是中国载人航天工程长期实验合作单位，承载着为有机旱作农业发展先行示范的重要使命。
The high-tech demonstration zone in Jinzhong has been a long-term collaborative partner of China's manned space program, which shoulders the important mission of promoting the development of organic dryland agriculture.
该农高区还建设有占地6.67公顷（100亩）高标准试验示范田，用于航天诱变试验种子的品种选育，挖掘高产、抗逆等优异基因，进一步实施有机旱稻品种筛选及推广。
The zone has established a high-standard experimental field, covering 6.67 hectares, for the selection and promotion of seeds for space breeding. The aim is to explore high-yielding and stress-resistant genes and further implement the selection and promotion of organic upland rice varieties.
晋中国家农高区管委会副主任贠卫华表示，我们将育种攻关摆在突出位置，先后建成谷子研究所、藜麦研究院等，引进一批高新技术企业，加快种子产业的发展。
Yun Weihua, deputy director of the high-tech zone's management committee, said that research on breeding is their priority area.
贠卫华补充说：“我们将继续开展航天空间诱变育种实验，为实现农业农村现代化作出山西贡献。”
"We will continue to conduct space breeding, hoping to contribute to Shanxi's efforts to advance agricultural and rural modernization," Yun added.
1987年8月，中国第九颗返回式卫星首次搭载农作物种子飞向太空至今，标志着中国农作物种子的首次太空之旅。
In August 1987, a retrievable scientific experiment satellite carried a batch of seeds into space, marking the first space journey of Chinese crop seeds.
在种子返回地球后，科学家们发现了明显的遗传变异，并启动了一系列涉及杂交育种的实验。
After the seeds returned to Earth, scientists found significant genetic changes and initiated a series of experiments involving crossbreeding.
中国载人航天工程办公室发布数据显示，目前已进行航天育种搭载实验3000余项，育成主粮审定品种240多个，蔬菜、水果、林草、花卉新品种400多个，创造直接经济效益逾3600亿元，年增产粮食约26亿公斤。
Data from the China Manned Space Engineering Office shows that over 3,000 space breeding experiments have been conducted, resulting in more than 240 approved main grain varieties and over 400 new varieties of vegetables, fruits, trees, grasses, and flowers.
董琦教授说，他们正在努力尽快将通过太空育种的优质旱稻品种带到普通人的餐桌上。
他补充道：“我相信，太空育种的未来市场价值将是巨大的。”
"I believe that the future market value of space breeding will be significant," he added.
来源：中国日报
审核：刘捷
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