The paddy sown at the breeding base in Zhaohua district, Guangyuan, Sichuan province, ushered in the third and largest harvest this autumn, on Sept 7. Their seeds had traveled to space on May 9, 2020.

Farmers reap space rice in Zhaohua district, Guangyuan, Sichuan province on Sept 7. [Photo/share.gyxww.cn]

"We started to raise the seedlings on March 28, and transplanted them into the fields on April 28. It took more than 130 days for the rice to grow," said Chen Dingquan, the 72-year-old expert in the district.

"We have planted 0.33 hectares of the space rice, and the largest field will be yielded today," Chen added.

Chen Dingquan, a grain expert, checks the space rice in Zhaohua district, Guangyuan, Sichuan province. [Photo/share.gyxww.cn]

The harvest of breeding rice is very different from that of ordinary rice. Growers need to pick out strain materials of the same height, with clear stems, no disease spots, even grain size, and with a high density. They are put into bags and numbered one by one. The rest are harvested with small harvesters and used as daily rations for workers at the base.

The number of grain has increased this year, and their shape is getting rounder. "We are considering sending them to the national rice research institute to conduct physical and chemical quality identification and testing in five years," said Chen.

The selected strains will be dried and stored in a low-temperature warehouse for use in the coming year, with their sowing and harvest information being registered.