Chapter 862: One spot on the Shenzhou spacecraft

Later in the day.

Changchun.

Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Zhuang Bingchang was in the office, looking at a table on the computer screen in front of him with a slightly distressed look.

Three months ago, he came here from the Agricultural University. One reason was that he completed his undergraduate and master's degrees in this city, and the other was that the Northeast region was suitable for growing soybean crops, which was in line with his research interests and directions.

But after obtaining better research conditions, new problems followed.

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

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

These three countries are also major exporters of soybeans.

However, most countries in the world are still cautious about this. After all, it involves issues related to gene banks and cannot be taken lightly.

China is also among them.

Only the import of genetically modified finished soybeans and genetically modified breeding research with certain restrictions have been opened up year by year.

This is certainly understandable.

But the problem is that breeding is a bit like engineering, and the experimental field is equivalent to a blueprint. If you don't engage in commercial cultivation, it can only be considered a small-scale operation.

But Zhuang Bingchang was not satisfied with just publishing papers.

He hopes that his research results can be truly implemented.

The only feasible way out is hybrid breeding.

However, unlike genetic modification, which can cut and graft gene fragments from different organisms, hybrid breeding can only be carried out between the same species.

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

But here's the thing.

Where could he find so many different kinds of wild soybeans?

So I got stuck here.

It was not until the end of last year that something happened that brought a turning point in his research.

On November 1999, 11, the Shenzhou-20 unmanned spacecraft was launched.

A large number of crop seeds were carried in the spacecraft's return capsule.

By using space radiation, these seeds can be randomly mutated, and then beneficial varieties can be selected from them for hybrid breeding.

That is space breeding.

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

But it is the first time that it has been scaled up

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zhuang Bingchang, a postdoctoral fellow, was at Huaxia Agricultural University in Beijing, so he naturally picked up the phone:

"Hello, who are you?"

The call was naturally made by Chang Haonan.

"I am Chang Haonan from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. May I ask if you are Researcher Zhuang Bingchang?"

"Yes, what do you want to see me for?"

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

He had an impression of the name Chang Haonan.

After all, such a big fuss happened just a few months ago. I dare not say that all Chinese people, but at least most 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 University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the other party was also a senior executive of the newly established China Aviation Engine Group.

This is of course public information, but if you don’t specifically look it up, it won’t be made public like the solution to the Poincare conjecture.

Furthermore, two years ago, Chang Haonan achieved the bizarre achievement of receiving three national science and technology awards at the same time!

He is definitely a big shot among big shots.

However, what puzzled Zhuang Bingchang was that why would a man in the aviation industry call him?

So he still remained a little cautious.

What if it's a liar?

The two had never met before, and the other's voice

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

"Researcher Zhuang, you can open your email box, the one you use to submit papers. I have sent you an electronic version of the cooperation instructions and a photo. It is a letter of introduction with the official seal of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, which should be enough to prove my identity."

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

In fact, after hearing what Chang Haonan said, Zhuang Bingchang was already 70% convinced.

He clamped the receiver between his ear and shoulder, freed his hands to open the browser, and then typed in the email address.

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

Chang Haonan had switched the phone to speaker mode and was drinking tea with He Guangyou and Zhai Mingguo while waiting for their response.

They are not in a hurry.

Although it was a long-distance call across provinces, I used the school phone anyway.

On the other side, Zhuang Bingchang quickly placed 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!

Desertification!

To put it in a smaller scale, we can create oases in the desert, or at least on its edge, to gradually control or even reduce its area.

On a larger scale...

That involves China’s food security issue.

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

Even if this converted sandy soil cannot be used to grow staple crops, there is no harm in increasing the area of ​​arable land.

It would be a big deal to move some suitable cash crops over there, and then use the freed up land to grow staple food.

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

And this happened to be his research direction.

In fact, Zhuang Bingchang currently has a drought-resistant variety of soybeans in the experimental field.

Too bad it's a genetically modified crop.

Even the genes transferred were from a cold-zone fish.

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

Even in desert areas, if you want to cultivate large areas, you probably won't get approval.

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

Zhuang Bingchang picked up the microphone again:

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

"You say."

Chang Haonan drank his tea slowly and said calmly:

"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 I can get it out within a certain time limit..."

At this point, his voice stopped abruptly.

Originally, Zhuang Bingchang wanted to give Chang Haonan a shot of prevention.

There is no doubt that the other party is a genius scientist.

Generally speaking, working with this kind of person will bring great rewards but also great pressure.

He is not afraid of pressure, but the problem is that crops don't care how much pressure you are under.

If it won’t grow, it won’t grow, and nothing you say will work.

But halfway through his words, Zhuang Bingchang suddenly remembered something.

It was the space breeding problem that he was just worried about.

As a professor at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Chang Haonan is engaged in aviation, but it seems that he should have some connection with the aerospace field.

"Hello? Researcher Zhuang?"

Chang Haonan on the other end of the phone heard the other party suddenly stop talking and thought it was a signal problem:

"Can you hear me?"

However, Zhuang Bingchang's voice soon came back:

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

To put it bluntly, space breeding is just poor people relying on mutation.

As for what the mutation will be, it all depends on fate.

But as long as you bring enough seeds at a time, you can always get something useful from the blind box.

In fact, Zhuang Bingchang just guessed the process wrong, but not the result.

Chang Haonan is not very familiar with the School of Astronautics at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, but he does have close ties with the aerospace sector.

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

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

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

"what?"

"Researcher Zhuang, the Shenzhou spacecraft, the Shenzhou II to be launched next year, and even the Shenzhou III the year after, are all unmanned full-state spacecraft. Even if they are manned, it is impossible for a non-professional like you to go up..."

In fact, it’s not Chang Haonan’s fault for letting himself go.

After all, before he was reborn, a non-professional astronaut with the identity of a payload specialist had already gone into space with the Shenzhou 16.

Even his schoolmates.

It is said that he is holding a remote meeting with his research group in the space station...

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

Zhuang Bingchang was very upset:

"I don't want to go to space, but I want the seeds I cultivate to go to space. I want to use the existing good seeds and rely on the strong radiation environment in space to promote mutations and see if I can further develop the traits we want."

At this time, Chang Haonan also realized that his brain was just freezing.

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

He looked up and thought for a moment.

Although the current project has changed beyond all recognition, it ultimately originated from the National Space Administration.

Plus the relationship between me and the Science and Technology Commission...

In short, Chang Haonan finally gave a positive answer.

But he didn’t say anything final:

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

From the beginning, Zhuang Bingchang did not raise the issue of how much quota was needed.

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

"Okay, then I'll rush to the capital as soon as possible in the next few days to meet you and talk in detail!"