Urban Agriculture | Plant Factory
Home Gardening | Hydroponic Cultivation
The 'Berry' Good Vision of Stars and Seas: Xidian University alumnus Liang Xiaokai ignites the 'Moon Strawberry' technological revolution
Published time:
2025/05/28
As China's Chang'e program enters a new phase of crewed lunar missions, the "starry dream" of a Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) alumnus is extending from an Earth-based laboratory to a lunar base.
Liang Xiaokai, founder of Apeb Biotechnology (Nantong) Co., Ltd., a deep cultivator of agricultural technology and a "cross-border aerospace explorer," led his team in conquering the year-round harvesting technology for hydroponic strawberries in artificial light plant factories ", allowing consumers on Earth to enjoy fresh fruit year-round, but also setting his sights on the "lunar dining table" for Chinese astronauts—in the future, aboard a lunar module 380,000 kilometers away, Chinese astronauts may achieve strawberry freedom ”。
🍓From Aerospace Cradle to Agricultural Revolution: Cross-border Inheritance of the NPU Spirit
Liang Xiaokai's resume is imprinted with the motto of Northwestern Polytechnical University: Public integrity, courage, and perseverance; practicality, realism, and innovation ". This university, known as the "cradle of Chinese aerospace engineers," is deeply involved in national major aerospace projects such as the Chang'e program.
As an NPU alumnus, Liang Xiaokai, while not directly involved in rocket launches, has practiced the mission of an aerospace person in another way: " Aerospace exploration requires a sustainable life support system, and agricultural technology is the cornerstone of extraterrestrial survival. ”
In 2022, Liang Xiaokai founded Apeb Biology, introducing the concept of a "closed-loop ecosystem" from aerospace engineering into agriculture, focusing on the research and development of artificial light plant factories. He frankly stated: "NPU taught me 'solid foundation, diligent work, and simple style,' and agricultural technological breakthroughs require this down-to-earth innovation." Over three years, the team continuously updated and iterated the data on fruit and vegetable cultivation in artificial light plant factories, building a "one-click planting" database covering more than 60 types of crops, with the breakthrough in strawberry technology being particularly noteworthy.
🍓Technological Breakthrough:
Pesticide-free, hormone-free, zero-distance, year-round harvesting, defining a new paradigm for strawberry cultivation
Traditional strawberry cultivation is limited by seasons and pests and diseases, with a harvesting period of only 3-4 months, and pesticide residue is a major concern. Apeb Biology's solution is revolutionary:
1. Pure hydroponic circulation system: The root system is immersed in flowing nutrient solution, and real-time filtration and sterilization are performed through IoT devices, completely eliminating soil diseases and achieving "zero pesticide" cultivation;
2. Precise environmental control: Strawberry-specific LED light sources simulate the optimal spectrum, miniature fans create natural breezes, and even bee pollination is introduced to ensure full fruit and sugar content of over 12%;
3. Year-round production: Strawberries planted in October 2023 have been continuously harvested for over a year since January 2024, with a single plant yield exceeding 2 kg, demonstrating reliable technology and strong commercial attributes.
This technology not only benefits urban families (users can manage it with one click through an app), but is also given an aerospace mission. Liang Xiaokai envisions: "In the closed environment of a lunar base, the hydroponic system can efficiently recycle resources, and our technology can support the supply of fresh fruits and vegetables during long-term space missions."
🍓"Three Practicalities and One Innovation" Yields Fruit: The Journey from Laboratory to Lunar Base
The achievements of Apeb Biology are a vivid footnote to the NPU motto:
Public integrity, courage, and perseverance: Teaching a man to fish is better than giving him a fish. Apeb Biology not only cultivates itself, but its goal is to enable everyone to plant their favorite personalized fruits and vegetables at home with one click.
Three Practicalities and One Innovation: Rooted in the underlying research and development of hydroponic technology (solid foundation), three years of continuous iteration of planting schemes (diligent work), rejecting capital bubbles and focusing on products (simple style), and finally opening up new application scenarios with "space agriculture" (pioneering innovation).
Currently, Apeb plant factories have entered 15 cities across China, and equipment has been exported to Japan, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and other countries. Liang Xiaokai's ultimate goal is for this system to be deployed in China's lunar scientific research station in the future: " When astronauts pick the first strawberry on the moon, it will be a double victory for Chinese agricultural technology and aerospace dreams! ”
🍓Conclusion
From the loess plateau to lunar soil, from the laboratory to the stars, Liang Xiaokai connects the aerospace sentiments and patriotic hearts of NPU people with a single strawberry.
As he said: "The boundaries of agriculture should not stop at the Earth, but should move towards deep space with the footsteps of the Chinese people." On this path of Cultivating Strawberries to Question Heaven ", Apeb Biology is using the plow of innovation to cultivate new frontiers for human survival.
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