[Development and prospect of plant mutation breeding induced by aviation and spaceflight in China]

Since 1987, about fifty species, three hundred varieties of crops have been sent in recoverable satellites or high altitude balloon (HAB). The selected lines include a high-yield, disease-resist, and hybrid-vigorous rice line, a recovered line of Japonica rice restoring sterility of Indica rice, a new green pepper strain which grows fruits over 500 g, a disease-resist, high-quality tomato line, a big-pod rape line, a big-fruit white lotus line and a big-bulb lily. The special conditions in the outer space can induce a variety of mutations in the plants and their progeny, which provides a new way for the plant breeding.