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Text| Fei Fei Entertainment
Edit| Fei Fei Entertainment
In the history of mankind, there are always a few people's names that will be remembered forever. They have devoted their lives to solving seemingly impossible problems for mankind. In China, Yuan Longping is undoubtedly such a person. But have you ever wondered what our table would be like today without him?
The miracle of a seed
In the summer of 1961, in the experimental field of Anjiang Agricultural School in Hunan Province, a unique rice plant attracted the attention of Yuan Longping, a young teacher. This rice plant grows very tall and strong, and the ears are fuller than the surrounding rice. Yuan Longping was keenly aware that this could be a naturally hybrid rice.
This discovery made Yuan Longping excited. At that time, China was suffering from severe food shortages. As a young man who graduated from agronomy, Yuan Longping knows the importance of increasing food production. He secretly made up his mind: he must find a way to increase rice yields!
From that day on, Yuan Longping began his path of hybrid rice research. Who would have thought that this walk would be 60 years, until the last moment of life.
Overcoming obstacles, hybrid rice finally came out
How can it be smooth sailing in scientific research? Yuan Longping's research path can be described as full of thorns.
At the beginning, Yuan Longping didn't even have basic experimental equipment. He used a bamboo basket tied to the back seat of his bicycle to carry rice seeds, and rode around looking for experimental fields. In order to observe the growth of rice, he often squatted in the field under the scorching sun for several hours.
What's worse is that many people were not optimistic about his research at that time. Some say he is "whimsical", others say he is "wasting national food". But Yuan Longping didn't care about any of this at all. He often said: "As long as the direction is right and it is not a dead end, you must persevere!"
Hard work pays off. In 1970, Yuan Longping found a breakthrough in rice hybrid breeding - a naturally sterile male strain. This discovery laid the foundation for the "three-line method" hybrid rice breeding.
In 1974, Yuan Longping cultivated the first strong dominant hybrid rice combination "Nanyou No. 2". This variety increased the yield by more than 20% compared to ordinary rice, and it caused a sensation at once. Since then, hybrid rice has begun to be popularized on a large scale in China. By 1976, the planting area of hybrid rice in the country reached 1.5 million mu.
Let the Chinese's rice bowl be served more steadily
The popularization of hybrid rice has brought earth-shaking changes to China's agriculture. Between 1976 and 2000, the area of hybrid rice cultivation in China increased from 1.5 million mu to nearly 400 million mu, accounting for more than half of the total rice planting area. The average yield per mu of hybrid rice is about 20% higher than that of conventional rice, which is equivalent to an increase of more than 50 million mu of fertile land.
What does this mean? It means that the Chinese can finally eat their stomachs! Once upon a time, "not having enough to eat" was a long-standing problem that had plagued Chinese for thousands of years. But since the advent of hybrid rice, China has not only solved the problem of food and clothing, but also achieved food self-sufficiency.
Yuan Longping once proudly said: "About two-fifths of the rice bowls of the mainland's 1.3 billion people are filled with hybrid rice. "
Super Rice: Another Miracle
But Yuan Longping was not satisfied with this. He also put forward an even more ambitious goal: Cultivating "super rice"! What is super rice? It is to raise rice production to a higher level. Yuan Longping set three targets: 700 kg per mu in 2000, 800 kg per mu in 2005, and 1,000 kg per mu in 2015.
This goal seemed impossible at the time. But Yuan Longping led the team to achieve it step by step. In 2014, the super hybrid rice "Y Liangyou 900" set a world record of 1026.7 kg per mu!
Interestingly, Yuan Longping gave Super Rice a cute nickname "Dream Rice". "In the future, I hope to build a gazebo on the rice field and watch the super rice grow in front of me all day long," he said. This is my 'Hexia Cool Dream'. "
So that the world no longer goes hungry
Yuan's vision is not limited to China. He had an even bigger dream: to stop the world from starving!
In order to realize this dream, Yuan Longping led the team to start researching saline-alkali tolerant rice. In 2017, they successfully planted high-yielding saline-alkali tolerant rice in Qingdao, with a yield of 620.95 kg per mu. This means that the originally barren tidal flats can also be turned into fertile land!
Not only that, Yuan Longping also taught hybrid rice technology to other countries free of charge. At present, China's hybrid rice has been promoted to more than 40 countries and regions, benefiting hundreds of millions of people.
"Post-90s" scientists
You may think that Yuan Longping is an "old antique". Wrong! In 2019, 89-year-old Yuan Longping said in an interview: "I am now a 'post-90s', born in 1929. This sentence immediately sparked heated discussions on the Internet, and netizens were impressed by his sense of humor.
In fact, Yuan Longping has always maintained the vitality and innovative spirit of young people. At the age of 90, he is still working hard to achieve the goal of 1,200 kilograms per mu. He often said, "The greatest happiness in my life is to see hybrid rice seeds grow vigorously in the field." "This love and dedication to scientific research is admirable.
Passing on the torch and forging ahead into the future
On May 22, 2021, Yuan Longping passed away at the age of 91. This news has made the people of the whole country feel extremely sad. But Yuan Longping's spirit did not go with him. Many of the students he has trained are taking up his baton and continuing to fight for food security.
Yuan Longping once said: "I hope that hybrid rice will shine all over the world like the sun." "I believe that with the efforts of the new generation of scientific researchers, this dream will eventually come true.
Implication: The spirit of science never goes out of style
Yuan Longping's life has left us with too much inspiration.
Hang on. From the discovery of the first natural hybrid rice to the cultivation of the first hybrid rice variety, it took Yuan Longping 13 years. In these 13 years, he has experienced countless failures, but he has never given up. It was this perseverance that led him to his ultimate success.
Innovation. Yuan Longping is not satisfied with the status quo and is always looking for breakthroughs. From hybrid rice to super rice, and then to saline-alkali tolerant rice, he has refreshed people's perception of rice yield again and again. This spirit of continuous innovation is the driving force for the development of science.
Dedication. Yuan Longping has devoted his life to the cause of food security. He doesn't care about personal gains and losses, just to let more people have enough to eat. This spirit of selfless dedication is worth learning from each of us.
Opening. Yuan Longping taught hybrid rice technology to other countries free of charge, reflecting the mind of a scientist. He believes that science knows no borders and should benefit all mankind. This spirit of openness and sharing is an important force to promote the progress of human civilization.
Let's plant the seeds of hope
Yuan Longping spent his life interpreting what it means to "take the world as his own responsibility". He used the power of science and technology to change the agricultural landscape in China and the world, freeing hundreds of millions of people from hunger.
Today, when we enjoy a happy life with abundant food and clothing, we should not forget the dedication of Yuan Longping and countless scientists. Let us inherit their spirits, plant the seeds of hope, and contribute to a better future for mankind.
In today's society, how should we carry forward the spirit of Yuan Longping? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section!
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