Space seeds handed over in China's Hainan Province for selection, cultivation before planting

A handover ceremony for space seeds carried back by China's first reusable and returnable test satellite Shijian-1 was held recently in Longquan Town of Haikou City, south China's Hainan Province.

The seeds include four varieties: taro, black beans, sesame, and lotus seeds, totaling 102 grams.

These seeds were selected by the Agricultural and Rural Bureau of Longhua District, Haikou City.

After the handover, the seeds will not be immediately planted but will first be sent to the Tropical Agricultural and Forestry College at Hainan University for selection and cultivation.

This ensures that the seeds adapt to Earth’s environment while retaining their excellent qualities before they are trial-planted and promoted for broader agricultural use.

"Although we can't see any apparent differences in the appearance right now, some genetic variations have already occurred in their DNA. We need to use specific techniques to screen and identify the best seeds, which will then be developed into new varieties," said Wang Jian, professor from Tropical Agricultural and Forestry College, Hainan University.

"Our primary goal is to increase yield and promote these seeds to local farmers. Ultimately, we aim to transform technological achievements into productive forces, boosting farmers' incomes and improving agricultural efficiency," said Wang Luzhuang, Party official of the Agricultural and Rural Bureau of Longhua District, Haikou City.

Space breeding involves sending plant materials, such as seeds, into space via returnable satellites and manned spacecraft.

These seeds are exposed to cosmic rays, microgravity, high vacuum, and other space environmental factors, inducing genetic mutations.

Once they return to the Earth, these mutated seeds are selected and cultivated to breed new crop varieties. This innovative agricultural technology injects new vitality into the development of agriculture and has the potential to increase yields and improve crop resilience.

Space seeds handed over in China's Hainan Province for selection, cultivation before planting

The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that it is pausing immigrant visa processing from 75 countries.

The measure will apply to "countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates. The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people," the department said on X.

The pause impacts countries including Somalia, Haiti, Iran and Eritrea, "whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival," said the State Department.

Earlier on Wednesday, the department announced in a memo that it would suspend visa processing for 75 countries, including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen, according to a Fox News report.

The pause will begin Jan. 21 and will continue indefinitely until the department conducts a reassessment of visa processing, the report said. The move came after the White House announced on Tuesday that it is ending temporary protected status for Somali immigrants amid fraud allegations in Minnesota.

On Monday, the State Department announced on social media that it had revoked over 100,000 visas since U.S. President Donald Trump took office nearly a year ago.

In November 2025, Trump announced his intention to permanently suspend immigration from what he described as "Third World countries", following the death of a National Guard member after being shot near the White House by an Afghan national.

U.S. freezes immigrant visa processing from 75 countries