The Peach Banquet in “Journey to the West”, “Give me a peach, give me a plum” in “The Book of Songs”, Lin Daiyu’s “Peach Blossom Journey” in “A Dream of Red Mansions”… For thousands of years, Chinese people have a special preference for peaches. Today, those pale, plump and rich varieties of peaches in farmers’ markets and supermarkets are still loved by people.
”Peach seems to be an ordinary fruit, but in fact it has a lot of knowledge, such as ‘peach tissue culture regeneration and genetic transformation. “Hardship” is a worldwide difficulty that has not yet been fully understood. “Chinese Superstition.Han Yuepeng, chief researcher of the Fruit Tree Molecular Breeding Discipline Group of Wuhan Zoo and a scientist in the National Peach Industry Technology System, told China Science and Technology News.
Since the beginning of research on peach fruit genetics and improvement in 2010, Han Yuepeng has focused on Jamaica Sugar has been in this research field for 14 years. He led the team to try to uncover the mystery of the inheritance of peach coloring and flavor quality traits with “artisan spirit”.
Small goals, completed step by step
When eating peaches, we will find that the flesh near the pit of some peaches is white. This “near-core red” phenomenon is closely related to the peach industry. Relevant.
in peach processing property Most of the canned peaches have yellow or white flesh. If you want to make canned peaches from near-core red peach varieties, you need to carry out additional processing of the red meat. This will increase the cost of giving birth to understand the reasons for the occurrence of the near-core red color. and mechanism, helping to optimize breed traits and reduce the cost of giving birth.
Han Yuepeng (right) leads a team member to conduct an investigation in Taoyuan. Photo provided by Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
To this end, the first small goal of Han Yuepeng’s team is to use a comparative transcriptome method to discover They obtained the key cooperating factor PpBBX10 through a yeast two-hybrid screening library, and confirmed that PpHY5, in cooperation with PpBBX10, promotes the transcriptional activation of the PpMYB10.1 gene in peach fruits, resulting in the formation of peach near-core redness. The nuclear red phenomenon provides a practical basis for breaking through the above-mentioned industrial bottlenecks
Next, the team focused on red-meat peaches. Red-fleshed peach is a local characteristic variety in Hubei Province, the most typical of which is Dahongpao, also known as blood peach, rouge peach, etc. The flesh of this peach fruit is purple-white or bright white when ripe. It has high nutritional value and crisp texture, and is very popular among consumers.
Why do red-fleshed peaches have different characteristics from ordinary peaches? Can this be used in the cultivation of new varieties to bring more choices to consumers? With these questions in mind, the team conducted a series of discussions. An important part of this research involves gene function analysis, which requires understanding what genes control “red meat traits.” At that time, there was no research system on this topic in the world. Han Yuepeng’s team worked together with New Zealand scientists to temporarily silence the gene in peach pulp through injection to verify its efficacy. After continuous improvement of technology, they finally achieved their research goals.
“We need to find the unique gene that controls the trait from tens of thousands of genes. “In 2017, Han Yuepeng led doctoral student Zhou Hui to invent a new mechanism for regulating anthocyanin coloration in fruits. They “selected one from a million” and map-based cloned the BL gene that regulates blood peach coloring, pioneering the map-based cloning of fruit tree efficiency genes in my country. Precedent.
In the same year, for Jamaicans Sugardaddy Peach tissue cultivation and regeneration and genetic transformation are difficult problems worldwide. Han Yuepeng’s team faced the difficulties and began to study the construction of a stable genetic transformation system for peach roots. “Peach tissue cultivation and regeneration is the only one reported in the world. 3 cases, and cannot be independently replicated in other laboratories, indicating that their effectiveness is not strong. “Han Yuepeng said.
After nearly 5 years of intensive cultivation, Han Yuepeng led the team to construct the Agrobacterium rhizogenes -mediated genetic transformation technology system for peach roots for the first time in the world, and at the same time established the peach callus tissue Stabilize the genetic transformation system. “Currently we are still doing research on the regeneration and genetic transformation system of peach complete plants, and strive to complete this research ‘small goal’ as soon as possible. ”
From “the world’s first successful case” to “the world’s first efficient system”, surrounding the small “peach problems” “, Han Yuepeng and his team have put in a lot of efforts and have gone through more than ten years without knowing it.
Encounter bottlenecks, break through little by little
“Since his graduate school days, Teacher Han has developed the habit of arriving in the laboratory at 7 o’clock in the morning and going to the laboratory at 90 o’clock in the evening every day. The habit of returning home at 0 o’clock. ” said Liao Liao, a member of Han Yuepeng’s team and associate researcher.
In Liao Liao’s view, the office is more like Han Yuepeng’s home. Except for going into the orchard and doing experiments, he almost always sits at his desk, concentrating on reading documents and doing analysis. When a teacher comes to ask a question, he will push up his glasses and start revising the student’s paper or plan. “If you want to find Teacher Han, go to the office first and you’ll probably find him 80% of the time. ”
“In recent years, some Western countries have faced technological blockades against us in agricultural research, which means that we have to Solve research problems independently. Whenever he encounters research difficulties and becomes anxious and hesitant, Han Yuepeng buries himself in documents and shuts himself in the laboratory. He believes, “Only by constantly enriching oneself with the knowledge at the forefront of science and constantly observing the development of the country and industry The latest static JM Escorts needs continuous testing and analysis, and continuous accumulation of key issuesJamaica Sugar Daddy‘s understanding can usher in that ‘moment of inspiration’”
Han Yuepeng is 56 years old this year, and his degree of hyperopia is increasing every year during his physical examination. He ridiculed himself: “80% of it is because he has read too much literature. ”
Solving problems, relaying from generation to generation
“For more than 10 years, every step of our research has brought little surprises , but it is still far from the purpose of ‘breaking the world’s difficulties’. “Han Yuepeng sighed.
Global problems often require scientists to track them for a long time. For example, the inheritance of “flavor” and “color” of peach The mechanism seems simple, but it is actually difficult to discuss.
“Perhaps our generation will not be able to clarify the whole picture in our lifetime. Han Yuepeng gave an analogy, “It’s like exploring in a forest. Sometimes you think you’re about to find the exit, but in fact it’s just a leaf that blocks your vision. There’s a large forest behind it, and it’s unfathomable.” This is a systematic project that requires continuous efforts of several generations to complete. I am willing to pave the way for future generations. ”
Another factor of Han Yuepeng is the National Peach Industry Technology System Position Scientist. He and his team have been working closely together for more than ten years. While doing research on Taozi, we are trying to solve the world’s problems and also actively respond to industrial needs. “Research on agriculture, forestry and fruit trees cannot be just for publishing papers. Papers must be published, and applications must be applied. ”
Based on the basic research results of peach flavor and color quality, Han Yuepeng led the team to develop a new product with sugar, In the past two years, they have cooperated with the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences in joint breeding. 4 new peach varieties, with a cumulative utilization area of more than 20,000 acres
“In the future, if you can control the peach without any restrictions By improving the color and flavor, we have achieved our goal of doing variety improvement research for many years. “Han Yuepeng said.
Han Yuepeng works in the peach orchard like a hard-working craftsman, cultivating batches of rising stars. On the eve of Teachers’ Day this year, a young scientific researcher sent him a blessing message, which was also related to peaches – “If you have peaches and plums all over the world, there is no need to plant more flowers in front of the hall.” “(China Science News reporter Li Sihui, trainee Li Jiayan)