Space-age vegetation
September 9th, 2006China launched the first seed-breeding satellite of its kind from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center today, carrying 215 kilograms of seeds of plants and fungus, the largest-ever such payload since 1987. The mission is part of a plan to help develop space-enhanced produce to feed the country’s 1.3 billion people. The country has been researching the effects of cosmic radiation and microgravity on seeds for many years, giving rise to the theory that fruit, vegetables, and grains such as rice and wheat cultivated from seeds exposed to space offer increased yields. A rapid decline in farmland due to industrialization is a significant problem in India as well, which increases the importance of following the findings from this research effort even more closely. While food irradiation as a method of preservation has been adopted for a long time now, the potential health risks that might be associated with vegetables treated with cosmic radiation need to be strongly investigated.
It seems certain that in the not too distant future, Earthgrains will witness a completely different breed of competitors (Spacegrains?) lining the shelves at Wal-mart.
