Experimental seed materials from North China's Shanxi province were successfully flown into space on board the country's manned spaceship Shenzhou XVI on May 30. 

The Shenzhou XVI seed-carrying experimental project involved nine varieties of seeds recommended by the Jinzhong National Agricultural High-tech Industries Development Zone and Taigu district in Jinzhong city. They included sorghum, corn, quinoa, upland rice, wheat, grapes, and mung beans. 

Through a process known as space mutagenesis, the seeds are expected to create germplasm resources for plant breeding with excellent traits in a relatively short period of time, and cultivate new strains and varieties with stable genetics and of excellent quality. 

The project marks an exciting new stage of aerospace seed breeding in Shanxi province.