China's "Mother of Watermelon" -Wu Mingzhu

China's 2 yuan pound of watermelon is 5,800 yen in Japan, equivalent to nearly 300 yuan; in South Korea, there is a watermelon price of 200,000 won, equivalent to nearly 1040 yuan.

It seems that it is very happy to be a people who eat melon in China. This reliably this "mother of watermelon" in China -Wu Mingzhu.

Wu Mingzhu

Grandma Wu Mingzhu is 92 years old. She and the father of hybrid rice, Yuan Longping, are all alumni of Chongqing Southwest Agricultural College, and now Southwest University. When he entered the school in 1950, one of the two chose rice, and the other chose to plant melons. In this way, Wu Mingzhu became the first batch of students recruited by New China fruit and vegetable professional.

Southwest Agricultural College (Chongqing Southwest University)

Wu Mingzhu took a photo with Yuan Longping

Wu Mingzhu (left)

In 1955, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was established, and Wu Mingzhu volunteered to Xinjiang. This is 62 years. The summer temperature of Turpan in Xinjiang exceeds 40 degrees Celsius, which is really a large stove, but the fire of this fire also gives the sweetness of watermelon a good opportunity. In three years, under the wind and sand, Grandma Wu and colleagues have finished more than 300 production teams, sorted out 44 local melon species, and accumulated first -hand information of scientific research.

In the early 20th century, the watermelon skin was thick and thick, with large cavity, large white tendons, and low sweetness. Compared with now, it was very different. The watermelon peels we eat now are sweet, and the seeds are juicy, but the breeding of the fruits is extremely difficult. It takes 8 to 10 years to cultivate a new variety. Some scientists can only cultivate a few varieties throughout their lives, but Wu Mingzhu has cultivated more than 30 varieties in 62 years. She once lamented, "How can a person's life be too short, how can I speed up breeding?" In the 70s, Wu Mingzhu returned Running against time, summer and autumn in Xinjiang, winter to Hainan, experimented in Gua Di every day.

Later, she became an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a watermelon expert. She once said: Gua is my life. I feel uncomfortable without going to the melon for a day, as if my mother could not see her child a day. She is the "Mother of Watermelon" that makes us respectful and well -deserved.

Image Source:

"Biography of Wu Mingzhu" Tao Hong

Southwest University "Academician Wu Mingzhu Promotional Video"

People's Daily

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