The Sunday Times has published a techno-utopian article hyping "space crops" with mutations induced by firing seeds into space.

COMMENT from anonymous scientist: This is not a good idea and is only asking for trouble. Modern genetics tells us that wide-scale gene mutations by irradiation in space or otherwise risks introducing genome-wide gene structure/function disruptions with a high risk of pleiotropic effects giving rise to novel proteins and biochemistry leading to toxic effects. As these "space crop" varieties are highly unlikely to be tested for potential novel toxicity before marketing, any ill effects will only be seen after mass consumption. 

GMW COMMENT: If China is serious about solving its "food problem" (see last paragraph of article), it should start with getting toxics out of its food system. China's government must honestly tackle such problems as melamine contaminated milk, the exploding melons that were loaded with growth promoters, and the unapproved varieties of GM insecticidal rice that have been grown in the country. In light of such scandals, "space crops" are a foolish, expensive, and potentially dangerous distraction.
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China's cosmic cucumber crop
Giant cucumbers and tomatoes, along with fast-growing sesame, cotton and even white lotus and chrysanthemums have been produced
Jonathan Leake and Jan Piotrowski 
Sunday Times (UK)
23 October 2011
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Science/article804506.ece

It could be the ultimate rocket salad. Chinese scientists claim to have created a range of super-crops by blasting seeds into space so their genes are mutated by cosmic radiation. 

Giant cucumbers and tomatoes, along with fast-growing sesame, cotton and even white lotus and chrysanthemum flowers, have been produced by the technique, according to a study published by Chinese government researchers. 

If its success can be confirmed, space agriculture could have the potential to rival earthbound genetic modification, a laboratory-based technique that is effective but expensive, as a means of producing new breeds of high-yield crops. 

"China's fruitful achievements have proved that real space agriculture is no longer a dream because it is a reality now," said Professor Li Chengzhi, of Beihang University in Beijing, in a study just published in the academic journal Space Policy. 

The bold claims, however, are being treated with caution. Chinese science is far less open than in western countries and, as is common in China, Li and his colleagues have not published supporting data. 

The basic principle that radiation can cause mutations, some of which may be beneficial, is well known and western scientists have also used it to try to create new strains. 

Li said: "China has initiated a new space industry with its own characteristics 'space breeding'. Crop breeding in space, or spaceflight mutation breeding, is a technology in which crop seeds are carried by recoverable satellites into space and back to Earth. While in space, the seeds undergo a process of mutation so better crops can be produced back on Earth." 

China’s interest in "space crops" dates back to 1987, but its first breakthrough came in 1999 with a new strain of fast-growing space rice, Hangyu 1, which is now planted on more than 400,000 acres. Another 12 strains of space rice have since been planted on more than 1m acres of land, boosting yield by 340,000 tons, according to Li's estimates. 

Since then, similar techniques have been applied to more crops, including wheat, fruit and vegetables such as giant green peppers and cucumbers. Many were developed from seeds flown in the Shijian-8 satellite, which was packed with seeds and spent 15 days in orbit around Earth in 2006. 

Li said: "The research institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences succeeded in cultivating a new type of cucumber with a higher yield, better taste and bigger fruit. 

"Some 90,000kg of cucumber can be produced from each hectare, a 20% higher yield," he said. The biggest cucumber can weigh 1.5kg. 

"Space-bred cherries and tomatoes have a high sugar content of 13%, comparable with that of oranges. They also taste good." 

The secret of how crop seeds are improved in space could lie in their exposure to cosmic rays, powerful blasts of electromagnetic radiation emanating from the sun and stars. 

These can rip apart DNA molecules, which then rejoin in new ways. Such processes may also be affected by the zero-gravity conditions of space. 

Most of the resulting mutations may damage the plant, but a few could be beneficial. It is these the Chinese scientists search for when they recover the seeds and cultivate them. 

Powerful interests are driving the research. China has severe problems with food shortages as its farmers produce only about half the global average crop yield for each acre, while the population is growing in both size and expectations. 

Professor Martin Parry, head of plant science at Rothamsted Research, Britain’s leading plant research centre, said space breeding represented a "valuable approach", but warned: "It is not a magic bullet. It is not going to suddenly feed the world. 

"Research often uncovers early evidence of plants with higher yields or better drought resistance, but the results can be misleading." 

Li, however, said: "Space agriculture, spearheaded by space breeding, is providing a brand new perspective in trying to resolve China's food problem."