The operation of hybrid rice is very complicated, and Yuan Longping has devoted his whole life to it, but in fact the principle is far simpler than genetic modification. As a self-pollinating plant, rice's own stamen pollen can fall on its own stigma. In other words
In other words, if a close relative gets married, the fruits produced will naturally not be as good as cross-pollination.
Therefore, if the stamens or pistils of rice are artificially removed so that they can be cross-pollinated, hybridization of rice will naturally be achieved and the defects caused by "inbreeding" of rice itself will be eliminated.
At the same time, japonica rice and indica rice, as two subspecies of rice, each have their own advantages. Hybridizing the two is similar to the "hybrid" of later generations. Naturally, we can learn from the advantages and cultivate better rice.
Thanks to the excellent climate of Jiangnan, it is easy for rice to produce high yields, and if more efforts are made on this, it will not be difficult for Jiangnan to quickly become the world's granary.
Li Xinchen's main task when he went south this time was to inspect the farming and mulberry farming in the south of the Yangtze River. Therefore, most of the officials accompanying him were related to farming in the DPRK, such as the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, and the newly established Agriculture Department of the imperial court.
The so-called Agricultural Affairs Department was actually a part of the power of the Ministry of Revenue that the imperial court separated. The Ministry of Revenue was in charge of the court's money, grain, and fiscal revenue. Money and food were all under the control of the Ministry of Revenue, which was obviously not a good thing for the imperial court.
, and for Chen Shushen and others, spending money and making money every day is enough to cause a headache, and the Ministry of Finance is becoming more and more overwhelmed with food.
In the imperial official system of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was indeed the Minister of Hubu who managed the money and food of the court. Therefore, the Shangshu of the Ministry of Hubu was often called "Da Si Nong" in private, because in the Han Dynasty, Da Si Nong was in charge of agriculture and mulberry.
, and even in the Ming and Qing dynasties, China's treasury revenue and food were still inseparable.
But now that the Han Dynasty's industry and commerce are developing rapidly, agriculture has become less and less the main source of income for the imperial court. Food is generally no longer converted into money and entered into the treasury, but directly enters the market and is sold clean or directly transported to the front line as military rations.
For the Hubu Shangshu during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the harvest from farming was the main income of the court, so there was no problem with the Hubu Shangshu managing farming, but such a plan was obviously not applicable to the Han Dynasty.
Therefore, it makes sense to separate farming.
Li Xingchen hoped to establish a new Ministry of Agriculture in addition to the six ministries, but for the time being he was persuaded by everyone. Everyone knows the importance of farming, but Your Majesty, you'd better have a clear look at the reality. Above the court, officials each perform their duties.
, is exhausted, and revolves around the things at hand every day. If there are not enough talents to support it, then there is no use setting up more departments, so it is better to wait until this year's palace examination is over.
, at least the court has a new batch of fresh blood.
Of course, Li Xingchen could understand the difficulties in the court, so he took a step back. Although the Ministry of Agriculture could not be established at the moment, the relevant institutions needed to be established. Therefore, Li Xingchen transferred three people from the relatively idle Ministry of Rites.
I also went to the Ministry of Household Affairs to recruit the officials who were originally responsible for farming and mulberry farming. A total of five people were gathered to form the Agriculture Department. Currently, it is directly under the Ministry of Finance. The meaning is naturally very clear. When the people are gathered,
, then the Ministry of Agriculture will be established on this basis.
There is also a familiar face to Li Xingchen, Li Yuan, in the Agricultural Affairs Department.
This guy became interested in farming when he went south with the academy to clean up the fields in the south of the Yangtze River. Among the six departments, he first joined the Ministry of Personnel. Later, when there was a shortage of people in the Ministry of Revenue, he was transferred to the Ministry of Household Affairs, where he was responsible for handling farming.
This time, by coincidence, I joined the Agriculture Department again.
This time Li Xingchen went south, Li Yuan had been to Jiangnan before, so he naturally volunteered to follow Li Xingchen. Li Xingchen didn't care about this. Li Yuan was talented, which could be reflected in the previous assessments of the academy. Li Xingchen did not
He planned to kill him because he rebelled in another time and space and even became emperor in the end.
At that time, Li Yuan was facing the chaotic late Sui Dynasty, and it was reasonable to want to raise troops.
In this era, even if Li Yuan is ambitious, I am afraid that this ambition is still limited to opening up territory for the Han Dynasty. Li Xingchen is still very satisfied with the education of loyalty and patriotism in the academy. It seems that Li Yuan is now devoting himself to
In the agricultural industry, it is difficult for anyone to associate him with the founding emperors of later generations.
Times are changing, and everyone in the times will also change along with these changes.
The Li Yuan of this era is probably not the same Li Yuan.
Li Xingchen put down the rice. The knowledge he could understand about hybrid rice actually came from high school biology, and of course the news he occasionally saw in college, so he was really asked to tell what Mr. Yuan's rice was like.
Li Xinchen himself really couldn't explain how to carry out group hybridization after planting.
Of course, just like Sun Simiao was mentioned before, there is no need for Li Xinchen to explain it clearly.
He only needs to express his ideas, and the ministers below will naturally have a headache for the rest. If Li Xingchen really knows these things very well, then I am afraid that the ministers below will have to seriously doubt who this Emperor is.
origin?
Although people in this era believe in the theory of ghosts and gods, Li Xingchen cannot make himself too mysterious. It is inevitable that the Jun family has private and unspeakable imperial skills, but if the gods talk about it, wouldn't it be like the Yellow Turbans of the Late Han Dynasty?
It will also encourage people to believe in ghosts and gods, but it will give people who are interested an opportunity to take advantage of it.
Just these basic ideas have already fascinated Xu Chang, Li Yuan and others, because what Li Xingchen said is not something that cannot be done. They have even noticed this phenomenon in the fields.
It's just that it has not been used as a means to increase rice yields.
If what Li Xingchen said is really feasible, it will greatly increase rice production, which will definitely be able to feed a larger population. The source of revenue among the efforts to increase revenue and reduce expenditure is nothing more than that.
And even if it's really not feasible, why not give it a try with His Majesty on your side?
Li Xingchen stood in the field, looking at the stacks of rice fields surrounding the mountains. He couldn't help but think of what Yuan Longping said in later generations, and took a deep breath: "My dear friends, a grain of rice can keep a person alive, or a grain of rice can keep a person alive."
Let a country continue to prosper, and a grain of rice can also determine a person's life or death, and can trip up a country."
The people around him suddenly fell into deep thought.
But Li Xingchen said directly: "Farming is no small matter, it is also a branch of knowledge. You, the nobles, should do it with your heart."