Beijing: China’s scientists have now been successful in cultivating cotton on Moon. The cultivation was a part of China’s lunar mission. Chang’e-4 lunar probe was specially crafted to undertake the biopsy test.
Pictures sent back on January 12 showed plant shoots growing well nine days after the experiment was initiated, Chongqing University, which led the biological project, said in a briefing on Tuesday. The first green leaf comes from cotton seeds, according to the scientists.
“The experiment has cultivated the first plant sprout on the lifeless moon,” Professor Xie Gengxin, dean of Chongqing University’s Institute of Advanced Technology and chief designer of the experiment said.
The biopsy test load carried cotton, canola, potato, mustard seeds and other local crops. The crops were exposed to high vacuum, temperature differences, and strong radiation on Moon’s surface
Chang’e 4 is a Chinese lunar exploration mission that achieved the first soft landing on the far side of the Moon, on 3 January 2019. It also carries 6 astronauts to undertake various experiments.
While many countries were in a race to be the first in organic cultivation on lunar surface, China has now become the first country to actually do it.
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