Chinese scientists are planning to carry out two cycles of rice cultivation in Earth orbit for the first time. This is reported by the
Belt and Road News Network (BRNN), a partner of TV BRICS.
First, they will grow plants from seeds to harvest and then use the resulting seeds for the next cycle. This will make it possible to study how prolonged exposure to microgravity affects plant growth, development, adaptation and possible genetic changes.
In 2022, Chinese taikonauts succeeded in growing rice in space from seed to harvest, although the experiment at that time was limited to only one cycle. The new project is considered more complex and is expected to provide more data on plant behaviour in space conditions.
Such research will help scientists understand how food can be produced during future long-duration space missions and deep-space expeditions.