Long-Term Microgravity Effects on Rice Genetics Studied in Orbit

Health checks confirm that the three astronauts of the Shenzhou‑23 mission remain fit after more than sixty days aboard China’s Tiangong space station. Their time in orbit is being used to run a pioneering experiment on the genetic stability of rice grown over successive generations in a microgravity environment.

The mission began with the delivery of rice seeds and experimental kits on May 24. After a careful two‑month cultivation period, the crew harvested the first generation of plants and stored the samples for later analysis. The objective is to complete two full life cycles—seed to grain and back to seed—entirely in space, providing a rare look at how prolonged low‑gravity conditions may alter plant DNA.

China’s 2022 effort achieved the first seed‑to‑seed rice cycle in space, producing 59 seeds from six originals within 120 days. The current experiment uses a robust Japonica variety with a three‑to‑four‑month growth window. Researchers are testing both virgin seeds that have never flown and seeds that completed a full cycle in 2022 and have already produced three Earth‑based generations.

Beyond the grains, the astronauts will also preserve stalks, leaves and other plant parts at low temperature for return to Earth. Scientists anticipate that the findings will help shape future space‑agriculture strategies, enabling reliable food production for long‑duration missions.