Successful people and their deeds who struggled for scientific and technological innovation in China

Many people have asked Yuan Longping: Now everyone calls you "the father of hybrid rice". Why did you study agriculture and study hybrid rice in the first place?

Yuan Longping replied, "I studied agriculture because of an accident: on an outing in the first grade of primary school, the teacher took us to visit a private gardening field. I see the peaches on the tree are red, the grapes are clustered and the flowers are beautiful. At this moment, the film Modern Times starring Chaplin appeared. There is a scene in the film with grapes outside the window. These impressions overlap. I think the countryside is really beautiful. I want to study agriculture when I grow up. If the teacher took us to the real countryside at that time, it was bitter, poor and dirty, then I would definitely not study agriculture. " His frank answer won everyone's applause and laughter.

Because of this childhood wish, after graduating from high school, Yuan Longping was admitted to Chongqing Xianghui College (later renamed Southwest Agricultural College). 1953, after graduation, Yuan Longping was assigned to Hunan Anjiang Agricultural School and became a teacher.

Because of this accidental choice, Yuan Longping has been busy in other places for more than 50 years.

key word

sample plot

If I am not at home, I must be in the experimental field; If you are not in the experimental field, you must be on your way to the experimental field. This is a word widely circulated by Yuan Longping, and it is also a portrayal of his real life.

The first experimental field in Yuan Longping is located in Anjiang Agricultural School, located in No.7 field in the Middle Ages. 1on April 30th, 968, more than 700 sterile seedlings were carefully planted in this field by Yuan Longping and his assistants. However, one night after 18 days, all these sterile seedlings were pulled out, and I don't know who did it.

In order to speed up the propagation of aseptic seedlings, Yuan Longping turned its attention to the south where the sunshine time is longer and the temperature is more suitable. Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian ... Many places suitable for cultivating hybrid rice have opened up his experimental fields, and Yuan Longping's footprints have been left on the ridge and between the paths.

1979 In May, Welch, the general manager of the famous American ring seed company, visited China, and the seed company of the Ministry of Agriculture gave him 1.5 kg of hybrid rice. Welch took it back to China, tried to plant it that year, and immediately increased the output. By 2005, the United States had cultivated 800,000 mu of hybrid rice, with an average yield of more than 600 kilograms per mu, which was 25%-35% higher than that of local improved varieties.

In Vietnam, by 2005, the planting area of hybrid rice was nearly 6.5438+million mu. Hybrid rice has been tried in the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Ecuador, Guinea and other countries.

But Yuan Longping is still greedy. He wants to spread hybrid rice to Taiwan Province Province.

Since the study of hybrid rice, I'm afraid no one has counted how long Yuan Longping stayed in the experimental field.

Yuan Longping's first assistant, Yin Huaqi, a senior researcher at Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, has been following Yuan Longping since 1966, and it has been more than 4 1 year. He calculated to the reporter that Mr. Yuan should have worked for at least 90 years since the 1960s. Why do you say that? Lao Yin explained: According to the growth law of rice in Hunan, it only takes half a year. At the same time, Mr. Yuan has set up experimental fields all over the south, so Mr. Yuan works for at least two years every year.

key word

experience a miserable failure

The so-called "wild abortion", the full name is "pollen abortion wild rice", which is a kind of wild rice.

This kind of wild rice was discovered by Yuan Longping's assistants Li Bihu and Feng Keshan in the swamp near Nanhong Farm.

1970165438+1On the morning of October 23rd, they found a piece of wild rice in this swamp. During the observation, they found three wild rice ears with abnormal male flowers, which were obviously developed from a seed. Confirmed by Yuan Longping, this is indeed a wild rice with abortive male flowers. Everyone is very excited.

It turns out that the classic theory in the 1950s said: "Rice is a self-pollinating plant and has no heterosis." However, Yuan Longping always challenged the authority, firmly believed in the heterosis of rice, and embarked on the road of exploring hybrid rice.

At that time, the theory of three-line hybrid rice had been formed, and what was lacking was the matching in practice. The so-called "three lines" are male sterile lines, maintainer lines and restorer lines; To achieve the goal of three-line matching, we must solve the problem of hybrid seeds. Among the three lines, maintainer lines and restorer lines can be found in common rice varieties, but the seeds of male sterile lines are difficult to find.

Now, I finally found it, just like anxious Zhou Yu and others came to the east wind. Why are the master and apprentice unhappy? 1972, the first rice male sterile line and maintainer line "Erjiunan 1" was born in China. In the second year, the three-line pairing was a complete success. From 65438 to 0976, hybrid rice was widely popularized in China, and its yield was 20% higher than that of conventional rice. Yuan Longping became the first person in the world to successfully apply rice heterosis to production.

1995, two-line rice was successfully developed on the basis of three-line rice.

Two years later, 67-year-old Yuan Longping launched an attack on super rice. At present, the yield per mu has exceeded 800 kilograms.

key word

college student

On April 29th this year, Yuan Longping accepted the title of foreign academician awarded by the American Academy of Sciences in Washington. Yuan Longping was unanimously approved in the selection. He won the warmest applause at the scene.

"The hybrid rice technology invented by Mr. Yuan Longping has made outstanding contributions to world food security, and the increased grain has solved the problem of feeding 70 million people in the world every year ..." Chekrona, President of the American Academy of Sciences, delivered a weighty acceptance speech.

The American Academy of Sciences is recognized as the most authoritative academic institution. Yuan Longping, who was unanimously elected as an academician of the American Academy of Sciences, missed the title of academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences several times.

1991may, the Hunan provincial government solemnly recommended Yuan Longping as a candidate for the member (academician) of the biology department of China Academy of Sciences, but among the 34 members of the biology department added this year, there is no Yuan Longping's name. The following year, the Hunan provincial government announced the recommendation again, but Yuan Longping still fell into Sun Shan. 65438-0992 Yuan Longping was awarded the honorary title of "Meritorious Scientist" by Hunan in the name of the provincial party committee and government.

1995, recommended again by Hunan provincial government, Yuan Longping was finally elected as an academician of China Academy of Engineering.

Many people feel wronged for Yuan Longping. Yuan Longping, who is in the whirlpool, looks calm: "I study hybrid rice not to be an academician, but to feed the people."

key word

Seeing a familiar scene reminds me of an old acquaintance.

Pleasant Autumn Waters is a work left by musician He Lvting. One evening in the late 1950s, Yuan Longping played the violin on the campus of Anjiang Agricultural School, playing this famous song with ecstasy.

At this time, a female chorus rang out nearby: "Looking through the autumn water, I can't see the beautiful image of Iraqis ..." This song is very crisp. Yuan Longping turned his head and saw that the singer was his student Deng Ze. At this time, Deng Ze is also looking at him with bright eyes, as if to ask, why is the teacher so depressed? Yuan Longping couldn't help moving. Deng came to see the teacher.

At that time, Yuan Longping was at a low ebb. Suddenly, there is always such a dignified and generous girl to chat with her to relieve boredom, and her mood is naturally cheerful. Gradually, Deng Ze became more and more important in Yuan Longping's heart, as if he was the "autumn water Iraqi" he was looking for and waiting for.

A few years later, Deng also went to work.

One day, Deng received a poem written by Yuan Longping: the vast sky/the long years/the road to find/how I want to hold hands/a warm-hearted crisp hand/through the biting wind and rain/looking all over the north and south/suddenly looking back/the Sri Lankan people are close at hand.

It turns out that this is a love poem. After reading it in a hurry, Deng couldn't help his heart beating faster. In fact, she made a secret promise long ago, and they started dating.

1in the first month of 964, after a simple ceremony, the two came together. After marriage, his wife, who also graduated from agricultural school, helped Yuan Longping a lot. In the field, he and his wife searched for materials for raising seedlings together. Yuan Longping basically left the housework of honoring the elderly and raising children to his wife, rarely asking questions. Every time he talks about his wife, Yuan Longping's gratitude is beyond words.

On the silver wedding anniversary, Yuan Longping specially asked his wife to put on a wedding dress and took a wedding photo as a souvenir. Facing the camera and looking at his wife's shy face, Yuan Longping smiled happily.

key word

Only reality

Seeking truth from facts means proceeding from reality, not telling lies and doing practical things. This is Yuan Longping's unique style.

1992, a media published a summary of the discussion on the front page, expressing some people's views and belittling hybrid rice, saying that hybrid rice is "three no rice", that is, "rice does not support people, chaff does not raise pigs, and grass does not raise cattle".

Yuan Longping was furious: It doesn't matter if he is an academician, but the reputation of hybrid rice can't be denigrated. Yuan Longping immediately wrote a letter to People's Daily in the name of readers, entitled "Hybrid rice can achieve high yield and high quality", describing the present situation and bright future of hybrid rice with ironclad facts. On June 18 of that year, People's Daily published this short message.

In addition to Yuan Longping's meticulous attitude towards scientific research, Yuan Longping is also "serious" about the details of life.

1995 10 10 In October, Yuan Longping was awarded the "Food safety award" by FAO, and was honored in Changsha, where it was warmly welcomed. At the end of the welcoming ceremony, a leader came in a hurry, and the entourage of the leader suggested to Yuan Longping that the TV station take another shot of Yuan and the leader coming out of the airport together. Yuan Longping waved his hand: "This won't do, it's against the truth!" His simple answer embarrassed the leaders and his entourage.

Yuan Longping's attitude of seeking truth from facts also impressed many journalists. He stressed to reporters who came to interview several times that scientific reports should not be organized, "posturing", and should not be falsified. They must be as realistic as we are in science.

Red Net May 24 (xiaoxiang morning herald reporter Li) "Academician Yuan Longping is not only a great man in scientific research, but also an ordinary person in life!" The day before yesterday, academicians from China Academy of Engineering and China Academy of Sciences and experts and scholars from relevant units in the provincial capital talked about the spirit of Longping at the symposium on learning the advanced deeds of Academician Yuan Longping in the province's scientific and technological circles. Yao Shouzhuo, academician of China Academy of Sciences and vice chairman of CPPCC, attended the meeting.

Yao Shouzhuo recalled his contacts with Yuan Longping: "One year, I flew to Beijing and sat in the ordinary cabin on the plane. I happened to find that Yuan Longping was also sitting in the ordinary class, so I asked,' Academician Yuan, why are you also sitting in the ordinary class?' Academician Yuan replied that he had been in the regular class. "According to the relevant regulations, Academician Yuan and Yao Shouzhuo are fully qualified to fly first class, but both of them choose to fly ordinary class.

He Jishan, an academician of China Academy of Engineering and chairman of the Provincial Association for Science and Technology, said: "Yuan Longping's strict requirements and professionalism are far from the current impetuous and academic atmosphere of the academic community." He Jishan said: "Now there is more publicity for singers and movie stars. A scientific' super man' like Yuan Longping should publicize more and learn more."

Guan Chunyun, academician of China Academy of Engineering and vice chairman of the Provincial Association for Science and Technology, has more contacts with Yuan Longping. He said: "Teacher Yuan is very busy at work, and many people look for him every day. However, Hunan Agricultural University enrolls graduate students every year. Whenever he receives a call from me, he will come on time and attend the interview in person. "