Genetic engineering in Chinese
Chinese scientists have bred carp without bones, defeated mold and move the country forward
The science of the People's Republic of China does not stand still, making all new discoveries for the benefit of people
Konstantin Olshansky, "Free Press"
In China, crucian carp have already been grown without small bones that interfere with cooking and eating tender meat. And also — wheat, which is resistant to mold, and potatoes, which can be propagated exclusively by seeds. What other wonders have Chinese breeders prepared for world agriculture?
Chinese Academy of Sciences promises to defeat mold
Chinese biologists have developed a unique variety of Tamlo-R32 wheat, which is able to resist most known plant diseases. The results of the study are published in the world's most authoritative scientific journal Nature.
Chinese scientists were interested in what genetic mutations make wheat resistant to powdery mildew. This is a very common fungal disease that affects a variety of plants, from grapes to melons.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture of China, mold affects about 7 million hectares of wheat annually in the country. The yield of severely affected fields can be reduced by more than a third.
Malicious microbes infect plants by exploiting a vulnerability in their genetic code. If these vulnerabilities are corrected with the help of targeted mutations, then the plant turns out to be virtually invulnerable.
The study was conducted by a group of two state institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences — the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology and the Institute of Microbiology. Using genome editing technology, Chinese scientists have managed to "improve" elite wheat varieties.
Moreover, they also remained high-yielding. Thus, the scientists were able to correct their own mistake made back in 2014. Then they managed to breed a wheat variety resistant to powdery mildew. But this led to crop loss, premature aging and small-fruiting.
Compared to traditional breeding methods, genome editing can significantly accelerate the breeding of new varieties.
The Communist Party called for the help of geneticists
The breeding of new, high—yielding and disease-resistant plant varieties and animal breeds is a state task that the Communist Party has set for scientists. After all, this is the only way China can get rid of imports.
And today China is the world's largest importer of soybeans and corn. Last year alone, 100 million tons of soybeans and 27 million tons of corn were imported into the country, mainly for use as feed for pigs, poultry and fish.
In the end, the authorities came to the conclusion: the middle class in China is growing too fast, and with it the consumption of products, and it is impossible to satisfy this demand with "traditional" varieties and breeds. It is necessary to resort to the help of geneticists.
Since the eighties, genetically modified tobacco has been cultivated in China, in particular. Now Chinese scientists are offering to grow other plants: safety certificates have already been issued to four varieties of genetically modified corn and three varieties of soybeans.
Experimental plantings proved that the varieties have excellent resistance to insects and herbicides, as well as a higher yield potential. And at the same time they are absolutely safe for humans. As, indeed, all other genetically modified plants.
Farmers will reduce the cost of cultivation, because there will be no need to spend money on herbicides. At the same time, the yields of new varieties can grow by about 7-11%.
The release of huge volumes of soybeans and corn on the world market, which China previously purchased, will help stabilize global prices for agricultural raw materials.
This will also have a beneficial effect on the environment. China is one of the world leaders in the use of herbicides, which are then washed from the fields into rivers, and from there into the world Ocean. If genetically modified varieties resistant to pests are planted in the fields, then herbicides are not needed.
Potatoes from seeds and fish without bones
Chinese breeders and geneticists are already ready to introduce dozens of varieties of other plants — rice, rapeseed, cotton, sugar beet, tomatoes, bell pepper, as well as papaya, petunias and even poplars.
Last year, for example, Upotato potatoes were planted for the first time in Yunnan Province. Its difference from the usual potatoes is that the new variety is propagated completely with the help of seed material. Of course, it is easier and cheaper for farmers. But at the same time, the yield of hybrid potatoes is close to 45 tons per hectare — this is at the level of the world's best varieties.
To sow one hectare, 2 grams of Upotato potato seeds are enough. And earlier it was necessary to have 200 kilograms of seed material — potatoes with stolons.
Chinese scientists do not think to stop there. The appearance of new animal breeds is ahead. A group of scientists from the Fisheries Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences (CAFS) recently presented their development — boneless fish.
This is a new species of crucian carp without intermuscular fish bones. These bones are known to be very small to separate them from meat, they easily get stuck in the throat when eating fish, and they are difficult to process industrially.
Chinese scientists have edited this oversight of Mother Nature. A new variety of crucian carp is being grown, of course, especially for shops and restaurants. After all, carp meat is considered almost a delicacy in China: the fish is famous for its delicate taste.
This is how the words "genetic engineering" are written in Chinese – VM.
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