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back to article China mutates plants ... IN SPAAAAAACE

Chinese botanical boffins have produced more than 120 new varieties of fruit and veg over the past quarter of a century by mutating regular plant seeds in space. The seeds of nearly 400 plant varieties have been shot into the heavens over the period – 23 times in recoverable satellites and ten times on manned space missions, …

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  1. MondoMan
    FAIL

    The Reg can do better!

    Not quite sure what "simulated conditions" would be, or how they would differ from actual conditions. The fact that nobody else does this anymore points out that this has not been cutting-edge science for some decades, if ever. It's already possible to induce as many mutations as one wants on Earth (even more than one per seed on average), and to choose among methods that cause big changes (e.g. deletions/inversions) or small changes (e.g. single-base changes); the reason for this weak Chinese PR plant is most likely to try to drum up domestic support for the country's space program.

    Now, if mutated sees produced Tang, that would be worth reading about!

    3 1
    1. nuked
      Reply Icon
      Black Helicopters

      Re: The Reg can do better!

      Or, perhaps like with so many projects, only those that are of serious interest are cast to the unwanted pile publically.

      Just saying.

      0 0
    2. Graham Marsden
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Down

      Re: The Reg can do better!

      Tsk, with a subject line like that, I was thinking you'd come up with a brilliant idea for the next Special Project!

      1 0
    3. mhenriday
      Reply Icon
      FAIL

      Re: The Reg can do better!

      «... the reason for this weak Chinese PR plant is most likely to try to drum up domestic support for the country's space program». Yes, indeed, «MondoMan», the royal road to drumming up domestic support for the Chinese space programme is to plant an article in the Reg, which has an enormous circulation in the Chinese blogosphere ! One wonders just what «mondo» it is in which you reside....

      Henri

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  2. Allan George Dyer
    Coat

    Much cheaper...

    Just put the seeds a carefully-measured distance from a reactor core.

    Or, if the safety checks aren't enforced, from the cooling water outlet.

    The lead-lined one, please.

    1 0
  3. Dave 62
    Coat

    I for one welcome our new capsicum overlords..

    Space chillis? Where can I lay my hands on some? Surely the perfect addition to any chicken tikka mirsala?

    1 0
    1. Kharkov
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Re: I for one welcome our new capsicum overlords..

      Chicken Tikka? That's for softies!

      Try Chicken Tarka, it's 'otter...

      6 0
      1. Alister
        Reply Icon

        Re: I for one welcome our new capsicum overlords..

        You nearly received a down vote, that was soooo bad.

        0 0
  4. jake Silver badge

    Just let the plants do it for themselves.

    Here at chez jake, we typically have four or five "sports" grow from last year's fruit (squash/melon, peppers, tomatos, sometimes corn(maize), various herbs, tree fruit, nuts, etc.) ... Some are useful, others not so much. Most are "volunteers" that grow from the culls that we toss out to the periphery of the rows to feed the wild critters[1]. In the late Winter, I harvest the volunteer plants & re-locate them to my greenhouse. In early Spring, I transplant them into a test-plot. The rest are from the seeds that I harvest from particularly nice produce ... Sometimes it's a good idea to allow a portion of a "perfect" tomato to liquefy, ferment for a week or so, and then separate, dry & save the seeds for next year, instead of eating the whole thing ;-)

    [1] Better to provide over-ripe fruit for the wild-ones outside the garden than allow them to forage for themselves within it ...

    1 1
  5. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Extreme Caution

    Come on China, don't you remember the bloody Vervoids? STOP IT NOW!!!

    0 0
  6. Cartman

    mutant killers

    They should be mutating reptiles, then they can open dinosaur theme parks that eat tourists.

    0 0
  7. Steven Roper
    Go

    I'm still waiting

    for someone like the Chinese or Russians to come out with some triffids.

    2 0
    1. Crisp
      Reply Icon

      Re: I'm still waiting

      That'll be the day!

      2 0
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