'Space seeds' enter breeding trial in east China

Cheng Fuqiang (third from the right) introduces visiting students to the planting process of space-bred Huang Shan Chrysanthemum on March 18, 2025. (Photo:China News Service/Han Suyuan)

(ECNS) -- A batch of Huang Shan Chrysanthemum seeds that traveled to space entered a breeding trial at a test field managed by a research institute in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, on Tuesday.

To ensure the experiment accuracy, researchers followed strict protocols, planting space-bred and regular seeds in separate plots under identical conditions to facilitate comparison.

Researchers only select high-quality space-bred seeds as rootstocks for grafting onto traditional varieties to enhance quality and resistance, said Cheng, adding that the breeding experiment is expected to continue until the November harvest season.

Huang Shan Chrysanthemum is an ancient variety facing genetic degradation, with a cultivation history spanning 800 years. These "space seeds" were sent into orbit aboard the Shijian-19 satellite in September 2024 and successfully recovered in October of the same year. This marks the first time Anhui Province has sent such seeds into space. (By Gong Weiwei)