Olive seeds mutated in space germinate on Earth

Nov. 19 (EURTOPA PRESS) –

olive seeds subjected to spatial mutation experiments aboard the Shenzhou-14 manned spacecraft in 2022 recently germinated in the city of Longnan, northwest China.

According to CCTV (China Central Television), The researchers plan to transplant the olive seedlings from 315 grams of seeds outdoors in 2026 to help them gradually acclimatize to the 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 variations, to induce genetic mutations, Xinhua reports.

Through the experiments, the researchers hope to develop high-quality olive germplasm with desirable characteristics, such as high yield, superior quality, early maturity and strong disease resistance.

Longnan is a renowned region for olive cultivation. At the end of 2023 it had approximately 69,333 hectares of olive treesproducing 54,000 tons of fresh olives, with a total production value of about 4 billion yuan (approximately 556 million US dollars).