Siheyuan: I eat melons while doing scientific research

Chapter 1334 It Doesn't Have to Be Rice or Wheat (4k)

For Lou Xiao'e, everything just now was just speculation. To definitively prove the matter, she needed more evidence.

Given their team's capabilities and current resources, it may be difficult to develop the structural formula for this new vancomycin, but obtaining evidence is not limited to structural formulas.

In fact, as long as they can figure out the molecular formula and the molecular weight matches, it is a victory for them. This evidence is basically enough to prove what they want to prove.

As for anything else, all they need to do is report their findings to the comrades who developed Wan-23, and at most provide some suggestions on clinical trials and experience in intellectual property rights, and that will be enough.

Lou Xiao'e only wanted the pearl to be found in darkness. As for who discovered the pearl, that was not important. At least they had removed the layer of dust that covered the pearl.
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In Beijing, at the agricultural department, several comrades held the grain harvest data for the first half of the year, their eyes showing unexpected surprise.

"I didn't expect that after Guizhou's actions, the grain ration data for some provinces this year would be unexpectedly high." A comrade said with a smile as he looked at the data.

The potatoes that Gao Zhendong produced were planted around February and harvested in April or May, which was just in time for the first half of the year's statistics.

In the past, statistics weren't this fast. Now, at least we have computers and basic networks. Even if the speed is slow, it's still not slower than the Japanese mailing floppy disks and fax machines decades later.

And then, something good came up with this statistic.

The potato seeds from the mountains of Guizhou are not just used by them. As we all know, seeds grow exponentially, and for potatoes, which can be planted in plots, the exponential growth is quite significant.

Besides exporting their seeds to regions with similar climates and environmental conditions, they also tried hybridization for seeds that were unsuitable for direct planting. Potatoes don't have the same demanding growing requirements as other grains, and even when they're out of season, it's relatively easy to artificially simulate an environment for hybridization breeding.

Therefore, the production of this thing is exceptionally high.

Although this crop has a higher water content compared to rice, wheat, and corn, its exceptionally high yield per acre makes up for this.

"Yes, the people of Guizhou can basically fill their stomachs on their own, and they have also helped other areas to meet their basic food needs. This is something we didn't expect," another comrade said with a smile.

It would be very difficult for Guizhou to achieve 100% food self-sufficiency, but this time, it has barely managed to catch up. Although this is partly due to the fact that the population has not yet reached its peak and that the current demand for food is not as high as it will be in the coming decades, it is still a remarkable achievement.

"It's a pity that potatoes are not a staple food; they're still a bit lacking." Currently, potatoes are still considered a supplementary food. With sweet potatoes already available, sweet potatoes can only be used as an emergency supplement, something to fill your stomach when there's no other option, but they can't be a staple food for a long time.

Sweet potatoes are potatoes, and potatoes are potatoes, so they are of similar status.

When the comrades from the Guizhou agricultural sector came to Beijing for their routine visit to Gao Zhendong and mentioned this matter as a significant achievement, they still expressed regret.

Upon hearing this, Gao Zhendong paused for a moment, as if something had suddenly come to mind.

He wasn't particularly famous for this matter in his previous life, but he did genuinely propose, research, promote, and implement it.

Gao Zhendong acted on his idea immediately, after all, this was something that relevant experts had studied decades later, and it was a food issue, so there was absolutely no problem with it.

"Not a staple food? Then just use potatoes as a staple food, right?" he laughed.

His words left the comrades in the Guizhou agricultural sector somewhat bewildered, mainly because this matter was a bit unconventional: "Potatoes as a staple food? Isn't that a bit inappropriate? Sweet potatoes have been considered before, and there have been related practices in history, but ultimately they were not implemented."

In the eyes of the comrades, this stuff is not even as reliable as sorghum, which is good for scraping the throat, as a staple food.

Gao Zhendong was somewhat familiar with this matter. As a military enthusiast, he had done some research on what was suitable as a primary food reserve.

However, he didn't rush to talk about potatoes as a staple food. Instead, he gave an example: "This is quite normal. It mainly depends on whether its characteristics are suitable. The grains of the past are different from those of today. Staple foods need to change with the times. Isn't the planting and consumption of millet much less than before?"

At least in Gao Zhendong's previous life, millet was mostly consumed as an additive or as a novelty.

There's something even more amazing here—wild rice, which, due to its texture and other issues, eventually became a vegetable—water bamboo shoots.

Gao Zhendong's words made the comrades think. Yes, not to mention our Guizhou mountains, there are many people in other regions and even abroad who use potatoes as their staple food.

Gao Zhendong added, "I know that there are places in foreign countries where potatoes are a staple food, such as certain areas of John Bull, where they can well support people's production and daily life activities."

As he said this, he added somewhat guiltily in his mind, "Whether food tastes good or not has no necessary connection with whether potatoes are a staple food. After all, John Bull's food is notoriously bad."

A comrade from the Guizhou Agricultural Department said, "You are right. Sweet potatoes cannot be used as a staple food, mainly because they are high in crude fiber. In order to digest the fiber, the stomach secretes too much acid. Long-term consumption will cause acid reflux and produce a lot of gas. Moreover, the nutritional composition is simple, and they are not good for storage. They also have high requirements for planting conditions. If potatoes can solve these problems, then they can indeed be used as a staple food."

When the phrase "produces a lot of gas" was mentioned, everyone laughed in unison, as the saying goes, "A loud fart doesn't smell bad, a smelly fart isn't loud, but a sweet-talking fart is both smelly and loud."

Sweet potatoes cannot be used as a staple food. Their poor storage life is a minor issue, as deep processing technology is available, and the high water content can be compensated for by high yields. The biggest problem is nutritional imbalance, in which case deep processing is completely meaningless.

Gao Zhendong nodded and said, "I suggest you do some research, specifically researching what nutrients potatoes contain, whether they can basically meet the needs of the human body, and their adaptability and prospects in planting, storage, and deep processing. Let's see if this can be used as a staple food in areas where staple foods such as rice and wheat are difficult to grow."

When Gao Zhendong said this, the comrades in Qianshan remembered that this great scientist in front of them could also cook potatoes very well, and had even sent materials to Qianshan to teach them how to eat them.

Although it felt somewhat unreal, the comrades felt that the great scientist in front of them was more down-to-earth.

But Gao Zhendong's words reminded them of something else entirely. If this food could truly be promoted as a staple food, its prospects would be incredibly bright. On a smaller scale, it could solve the food problem in areas lacking the conditions for growing traditional staple crops; on a larger scale, it would be a powerful measure to further consolidate food security.

"Yes, Committee Member Gao, we will start this research as soon as we get back and get results as soon as possible." The comrade from the Guizhou Agricultural Department said this not just to flatter Gao Zhendong, but because the research was well-founded. After all, the goal was clear, the research conditions were in place, and the food was even distributed in traditional food-producing areas. Their past experience could compensate for the lack of research conditions and shorten the research time.

Gao Zhendong nodded and said, "Yes, you can do this as soon as possible. After all, potatoes are complementary to rice and wheat in terms of planting conditions, rather than competitive. With this in mind, if we can promote potatoes as a new staple food, it will be of great significance to our current food supply and food security."

It is very important that potatoes can be grown in environments and climates where rice and wheat cannot be grown and can still yield a high harvest.

One of the most important reasons why potatoes were promoted as a staple food decades later was that they did not compete with rice and wheat. They could solve the nutritional problem and the problem that the former two could not be grown. Moreover, potatoes tasted better than corn.

From these perspectives, this product is very suitable for promotion as a staple food, or at least it is a good alternative.

Gao Zhendong then realized that he had unintentionally done something he had never thought of – originally intended to solve the food problem for people in parts of Guizhou, it had unexpectedly become a small but crucial contribution to food security.

Thinking of this, he said to the comrades in the Guizhou agricultural sector, "If you encounter any technical, equipment, or research difficulties, don't hesitate or be shy. Just come to me, and I will coordinate and solve them for you. Although I am not in agriculture, I can still coordinate without much trouble."

The comrades didn't take Gao Zhendong's modesty seriously. "Do you understand agriculture or not? Even if you don't say it, we all know perfectly well. Who among the comrades working in this field hasn't used that method of virus-free potato seedling cultivation?"
As for why Committee Member Gao only provided the method without explaining its specific significance, we can only assume that Committee Member Gao himself didn't take it too seriously and forgot about it. After all, what ordinary people value might be considered trivial by these top masters and completely ignored.

This kind of thing is very common. For example, Fermat's joking remark, "The blank space is too small to write in," has caused trouble for people for hundreds of years.

After seeing off the comrades from Qianshan, Gao Zhendong sat at his desk, casually sketching on a piece of paper with a pen in hand.

Employment...

population……

food……

industry……

agriculture……

educate……
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A train from the Northeast, amidst thick white smoke and accompanied by increasingly slow "chug-chug-chug-chug-chug-chug-chug" sounds, slowly pulled into the platform of Beijing Railway Station.

Two comrades jumped off the train. Two other comrades who had been waiting there saw them, compared them with a piece of paper in their hands, exchanged a glance, nodded, and went to greet them.

One of the comrades waiting there saluted and handed over an identification card: "Two guards from our unit have been ordered to take over your security work."

The two comrades were somewhat flattered and surprised. In their opinion, what they had done was completely beneath their authority: "Comrades, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

If we make a mistake, we shouldn't delay the work of comrades who should be protected.

The guard officer's face still looked as stern as ever, but there was a hint of a smile in his eyes: "There's no mistake, comrades. According to the latest regulations, you should be protected on this trip. This is the mission document issued by our committee. Take a look, and you can also verify it with the comrades in the National Defense Committee."

"Then shall we go to the committee first? Would you two comrades like to go together?" The comrade from Northeast China asked with a smile, his eyes darting around.

"We've brought a car; you two can get in and go directly there," the security officer said.

"No need, no need, we'll take the bus."

The two officers exchanged a glance, a hint of helplessness in their eyes. This set of regulations had just been fully implemented, and some oversights were inevitable. For example, this time, they hadn't coordinated with the other party beforehand, so it was normal for the officers to be on guard: "It's alright. How about this, one of us will go with you on the bus, and I'll drive to follow."

Seeing that the other party had made such arrangements, the comrade from the Northeast felt somewhat relieved. Anyone with a guilty conscience would never go to the Defense Committee with him: "Okay, let's go."

Half an hour later, they were already sitting in the office of the chief engineer of the National Defense Industry Committee.

"The main reason I called you here this time is for the hovercraft you are currently working on. Unlike the previous research, which was just preliminary and focused on pre-research and technology reserves, this time the hovercraft has a clear application scenario. Therefore, your task has become much more demanding. You should be prepared for this," said the chief engineer of the National Defense Industry Committee.

The two exchanged a glance, their faces filled with surprise and delight. They hadn't expected that being suddenly summoned to the capital would be such wonderful news.

This made them feel relaxed and overjoyed, in addition to their initial anxiety.

As the chief engineer said, the hovercraft they developed originally didn't have a very clear application. Before that, they developed it more to prove that we could keep up with the pace of international shipbuilding technology development. As for what to do with it, there really wasn't a clear direction.

The most optimistic possibility is probably the opening of some experimental routes in relatively stable inland waters. Apart from that, it is unlikely that even opening routes at sea is possible, since the safety issues have not been verified.

What the chief engineer called a "suddenly heavier task" was, in their eyes, a great joy.

"It's not a big deal, boss. Please rest assured, we have the confidence, determination, perseverance, and preparation to complete the task assigned by the committee!" Despite saying this, they were still a little worried. They knew very well where these tasks usually came from, and they had long been familiar with the "want it all" style of these comrades.

(End of this chapter)