The wheat is ripe, the food and clothing are adequate. The fragrant wheat fields are surging with waves, and everyone is busy gathering grain into the granaries. In May of the lunar calendar, the wheat fields are filled with the fragrance of harvest, and the summer grain harvest is underway. Dr. Liu Yanan, a teacher from the Party branch of the School of Food Science and Technology, launched a special educational activity themed "Taking Wheat as the Classroom, Supporting Dreams." This activity aims to let students learn about wheat, understand wheat, and experience the labor in the wheat field. It encourages students to cultivate logical literacy in experimental operation and expands their innovative ability through scientific research and exploration.
The golden wheat field is gleaming under the sunshine. Dr. Liu Yanan stands in the middle of the wheat field and commences to expound on the morphological traits, growth environment, and growth habits of wheat. What conditions are requisite for the growth of wheat? Sunshine, soil, and water are all indispensable, of which the soil is the most important. Deep soil layer, good structure and deep tillage layer are beneficial for water and fertilizer storage and promoting root development. Sandy soil and heavy clay with poor structures are hard to achieve high yields and may even induce wheat diseases. In order to prevent wheat diseases with green ecological technology and promote the growth of wheat, Dr. Liu brought the subject to the wheat field in this activity and let the students to take samples from the soil where the wheat grows. When they return to the laboratory, they will separate and screen microbes with disease-resistance and growth-promoting properties from the sampled soil. After experiments, it is hoped that through process optimization, microbial inoculants can be prepared for industrial application.
The students adopted the five-point sampling method to sample a field and marked the longitude and latitude of the sampled area. They collected soil samples from five parts of the field and put them in a sample bag to mix evenly. "Due to factors such as sunlight exposure on the surface, drying and interference of microorganisms in the air, surface microbial sampling is inaccurate. The roots of wheat are about 15-30 cm below the soil surface. Therefore, we sample at 10 cm - 30 cm from the ground. In this way, microbial samples from different depths of the soil layer can be obtained." Dr. Liu taught the students carefully.
Food security is a top priority for the country, and the School of Food Science and Technology always keeps in mind that food is fundamental to people's lives and it is the foundation for national stability. By stepping out of the classroom and into the fields, the school helps students apply their theoretical knowledge to practical situations. While conducting research on topics, the doctoral team of the school led students to carry out experimental operations. Through every operation, students' preciseness and logical literacy were cultivated.Utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA gel electrophoresis techniques, students in this project identify microorganisms in the soil where food crops grow, laying the foundation for future selection of disease-resistant and growth-enhancing microorganisms. By empowering students with knowledge and driving them to innovate, the school enhances students' understanding and love for their major, sparks their interest in scientific research, and improves their innovation ability. Students who came out of the laboratory said that they all harbor dreams and hope to be the most beautiful guardians of the granaries of the great country.
