The upcoming Shenzhou-23 spaceflight mission will experiment cultivating two consecutive generations of rice in orbit, according to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
China is sending rice seeds along with astronauts to its space station Tiangong via the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft, scheduled to be launched on Sunday.
The new rice experiment, if successful, will mark the first complete growth cycle from seed to new seed grown in space, then to a second generation of space seeds, opening possibilities for in-situ food production on future lunar base and deep-space missions.
In 2022, six rice seeds spent 120 days aboard Tiangong, flowering and producing 59 offspring grains. The upcoming mission upgrades that effort by adding a second new generation.
In microgravity, plants lose their sense of direction and rice seedlings tend to grow erratically. Scientists have developed a method of using directional lighting to guide upright growth. Rice's self-pollination also helps overcome the challenge of pollen failing to settle naturally in microgravity.
However, rice cultivation in space still faces a series of challenges, like disrupted flowering times, slower development cycles, and reduced seed vigor.
The experiment will compare two cultivation methods to explore answers to these challenges and find the best fit for the space station's confined environment - the conventional sexual reproduction through flowering and seed propagation, and the asexual reproduction which involves ratoon rice that regrows from retained roots after harvest.
Another batch of rice seeds will undergo five months of exposure to space radiation and varying gravity levels in external and internal experiment boxes, potentially generating mutations that could yield valuable germplasm resources for breeding new varieties.
Shenzhou-23 to grow second-generation space-faring rice seeds
China stands ready to work with Uzbekistan to usher in a new "golden decade" for bilateral relations, as the two sides celebrate the 10th anniversary of the China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday during a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2026 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Xi said that under the guidance of the two heads of state, China and Uzbekistan have elevated and upgraded their bilateral relations, reaped fruitful results in cooperation across various fields, and achieved remarkable success in building a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future.
China is willing to work with Uzbekistan to consolidate strategic mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly usher in a new "golden decade" for bilateral relations, he said.
No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China's commitment to deepening China-Uzbekistan friendship remains unwavering, Xi said, adding that China will, as always, support Uzbekistan in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions.
He called on the two countries to work together to advance bilateral cooperation.
Both sides should promote the high-quality construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, expand cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence and desertification control, and uphold mutual benefit, Xi said.
He stressed the need to speed up the establishment of cultural centers in each other's country, expand cooperation in education and poverty alleviation, and foster people-to-people bonds.
It's important to make full use of the law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism between the two countries, and join hands to fight the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, Xi said.
As the SCO's founding members, China and Uzbekistan should work together to implement the outcomes of the Tianjin Summit, and advance regional development and prosperity, he said.
Mirziyoyev said that Uzbekistan remains firmly committed to developing relations with China and will not change this course amid shifts in the international landscape.
Uzbekistan is willing to work with China to deepen political mutual trust, expand trade and investment, strengthen cooperation in agriculture, transportation, energy, minerals, and science and technology, promote people-to-people exchanges, and fight the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, advancing the further development of bilateral relations, he said.
The Uzbek side firmly upholds the one-China principle, highly values the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi, and stands ready to work with China to advance the SCO development and uphold international fairness and justice, Mirziyoyev said.
Xi arrived in the Kyrgyz capital on Sunday for the SCO Summit 2026 and a state visit to Kyrgyzstan.
China ready to work with Uzbekistan to usher in new "golden decade" for bilateral relations
