Olive seeds that underwent space mutation experiments aboard the Shenzhou-14 spacecraft in 2022 recently germinated in the city of Longnan in northwest China’s Gansu province, state broadcaster China Central Television reports.
The researchers plan to transplant the olive seedlings from 315 grams of seeds into the open air in 2026 to help them gradually acclimatize to their natural environment.
Space mutation experiments involve exposing seeds or plant tissues to extraterrestrial environmental factors such as microgravity, high levels of radiation, and extreme temperature fluctuations to cause genetic mutations.
Through the experiments, the researchers hope to develop high-quality olive germplasm with desirable traits such as high yield, excellent quality, early maturity and disease resistance.
Longnan is a well-known “golden zone” for olive cultivation. As of the end of 2023, more than 1.04 million mu (about 69,333 hectares) of olive trees were grown in the region, producing 54,000 tons of fresh olives worth about 4 billion yuan (about 556 million USD).
