Chinese Scientists Transplant Fish Genes into Beet
04/05
HUHHOT (April 5) XINHUA - Chinese scientists have succeeded in transplanting fish genes into beets. The transgenic beet seedlings can survive temperatures of six to 6.5 degrees below zero, 2.5 times that of non-transgenic beet.The sowing period of the beet can come ten to 15 days earlier and its harvesting period can be extended by ten to 15 days.
The gene came from the anti-frost protein gene of an Arctic fish imported to Mongolia from Germany in 1992. Li Tianran, a professor of the Biology Department, and Zhang Jianfeng, a graduate student under Li, were put in charge of the research.
"It is the first time in the world that animal gene was transplanted into the beet," Tian Bo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said.
"It is of great significance for the anti-frost research for other crops," he said.
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