Stock up in space to survive and save civilization in the end of the world

Before lights out the next night, Lin Qian saw that the information in the hands of her roommates turned into "research on wheat genetics and distant hybrid breeding."

Professor Li Zhensheng, known as the father of hybrid wheat in China, is here to give a lecture tonight.

China's agriculturists are known as "Southern Yuan and Northern Li".

Lin Qian had known about these characters who appeared on the front pages of professional textbooks before. Many of them were people who came from the famine years, so they were determined to work hard so that all Chinese people could have enough to eat.

Professor Li Zhensheng initially studied wheat stripe rust, which can reduce wheat yields by more than 30%.

Once wheat becomes sick, farmers' hard work for several months will be in vain. In the end, the harvest will be greatly reduced, and the bitter water can only be swallowed in the stomach.

The solution that wheat researchers came up with at that time was "inbreeding", which allowed wheat with better resistance to be hybridized with weaker wheat.

Professor Li Zhensheng was still an unknown young man at that time. After field inspections, he felt that there were no varieties of wheat with strong disease resistance at all. Once the rust fungus mutated, wheat would suffer.

Finally, he thought of grasses in the plant world that are directly immune to rust bacteria. Grasses are extremely disease-resistant. As long as there is water and soil, they can grow wildly and lushly. Can the disease resistance of pasture be transferred to wheat?

This idea was considered a fantasy at the time. Hybridization of grain and pasture? Is that for human consumption? This sounds very unreliable.

But Professor Li Zhensheng did not give up this research direction. Faced with the cold looks and ridicule of others, he persisted for twenty years.

It wasn't until 79 that he discovered a long-eared wheatgrass, and Xiaoyan No. 6 was finally born. This was also the most powerful wheat species at that time.

"I was already 48 years old at the time, and I was about to reach the age where I knew my destiny." Professor Li looked at the energetic students below and encouraged: "To do scientific research, you must be able to endure loneliness, think independently, and dare to be the first."

Then he showed a photo of himself speaking and told everyone: "In 95, I was 61 years old. Some countries questioned our country at the food forum. Who will feed the Chinese people in the future? I have only one answer. ——Self-reliance, history tells us that we must not let others choke our lifeline.”

Taking reality as a mirror, those countries that have been harvested by the four major grain merchants have gone from being self-sufficient in food to being at the mercy of others. They can only grow whatever the other party tells them to grow. Once food is in short supply, various public security problems will follow. .

Without the diligent research of groups of agriculturists to achieve high and stable grain yields, people's lives may not be beautiful and happy at all.

The people are the foundation of the country, and the grain is the life of the people.

Food will be plentiful, agriculture will be stable, and prosperity will be prosperous.

The ancients never lied to me.

After listening to this lesson, Lin Qian also became very interested in hybrid wheat.

This kind of evening class lasted for more than half a month, and professors, associate professors and visiting professors from the Agricultural University came to give lectures to the students in the experimental class.

These professors who often deal with agriculture are very approachable and have an affable attitude.

Lin Qian's guess was confirmed when she had dinner with Shang Mingzhu. These outstanding professors and the best students will have a two-way selection during their sophomore year.

"When I was a freshman, I had a good chat with Teacher Liu Di. I often went to her office to ask her about pig breeding techniques. Later, when I was a sophomore, I was recruited into her research laboratory."

Shang Mingzhu also told Lin Qian that in the 80s, the country's important pig production breed "people's pigs" were largely replaced by imported "foreign" pigs.

Although folk pork has a solid texture and a delicate taste, farmers are reluctant to raise it due to its slow production, and it once developed to the point of being endangered.

"You may not know that more than 90% of the pigs we have on the market now are foreign pig breeds, and the local pig breeds have a very low share." Shang Mingzhu spoke of her profession in a solemn tone: "China has a long history of raising pigs, but There are more than 30 species of native pigs that are on the verge of extinction."

"The extinction of species is closely related to humans."

Lin Qian continued: "Species diversity is the basis of biological evolution. If these native pigs become extinct, it will be an irreparable loss."

Because in biology, there is genetic diversity within the same population.

Genetic diversity provides plant and animal breeding material, allowing scientists to select individuals with the desired characteristics.

For example, Ping Lao used wild rice to hybridize with ordinary rice, taking advantage of genetic diversity.

This is also the main reason why China has been able to catch up from behind in modern agricultural research - the family is big and the industry is big, and there are too many populations and individuals left by our ancestors for future generations to carry out breeding research.

Shang Mingzhu said angrily: "The losses are simply difficult to estimate. In the beginning, no one cared about raising foreign pigs. Although native pigs grow slowly, they have strong disease resistance and excellent taste."

"After foreign pig breed suppliers found out, they provided foreign pig breeds and antibiotics to pig farms for free. Foreign pigs grow fast, and they are given antibiotics as soon as they get sick. But how can the pigs raised in this way be delicious? This is why everyone They always say that the pork we eat now is not as fragrant as before.”

Indeed, there was little meat in those days, but the meat tasted really delicious.

Lin Qian continued what she said and asked: "The book says that the life span of foreign pigs is very short, and sows will be eliminated in about two years?"

Shang Mingzhu said proudly: "Yes, so the native pigs of China are the best! The ancestors carefully selected and only passed down the best products. A native pig can reproduce for 13 years because its own resistance is very strong. After all, the native pigs Pig genes have been screened and precipitated for thousands of years."

"When foreign pigs invaded native pigs, many native pig breeds almost lost their inheritance. Fortunately, there are many researchers who are as foresighted as the teacher. They began to write to the country a long time ago to pay attention to the issue of pig breeds. Now we A gene bank has been established.”

Speaking of this, Shang Mingzhu looked full of longing: "Our research institute is holding back its strength and wants to rely on the 'Dali King' to win back the victory."

"It must be possible, King Dali is so delicious!"

"By the way," Lin Qian asked, "Can I do research and collect data only if I join a research institute?"

Shang Mingzhu waved her hand: "No, students in the experimental class can report to the counselor and apply for funds and venues in the second semester of their freshman year. The school will send teachers to check the feasibility of the report before approving it. But you have determined the direction so quickly?"

Lin Qian nodded: "Yes, I am very interested in hybrid rice and hybrid wheat."

Shang Mingzhu clapped his hands and said generously: "If you want to fertilize, come to me and I won't charge you."

"Do you still have to spend money to buy chicken manure and pig manure?"

"Of course, there are many people who come here to buy a few bags and take them back to the fields!"

Her experimental field was still missing, so Lin Qian immersed herself in a sea of ​​books.

She attended the freshman class for a month, determined with the counselor the subjects to be tested at the end of the semester, and then began to study freely.

She can study some courses by herself. If she encounters difficult problems, she will discuss them with her classmates who are taking the course together. If she cannot solve them, she will go to the office to ask the teacher for advice.

Some courses, such as genetics, required her to study them from scratch.

In addition, she also chose a course in food science and engineering. Whether she can set up a separate laboratory in the future depends on whether she can replicate the energy bar after completing this course.