斐特思学子科研探秘｜把课堂种进田间地头，带着水稻实验走进期刊

夏日的阳光透过稻叶缝隙，在斐特思校园的实验田里投下斑驳的光影。来自12年级的Kelly 正蹲在田埂边，小心翼翼地观察着两盆水稻的叶片 —— 一盆叶色浓绿，另一盆却悄悄泛黄。Kelly和项目团队的同学们专注地记录下水稻的生长数据，准备稍后向导师请教。

在华南农业大学导师阮博士的指导下，他们正在参与 "盐胁迫条件下不同浓度螯合硒对水稻形态及产量的影响" 实验，相关研究成果近期已被学术期刊收录。让我们一起跟随Kelly的讲述，看看这场从实验室延伸到田间的科研实践，背后藏着怎样的故事？

The sun filtered through the gaps between the leaves, casting shadows in the experimental field of FCG. Grade 12 student Kelly was carefully observing the leaves of two rice plants by the edge of the field - one with a rich green colour and the other turning yellow. Kelly and her team members were intently recording the growth data of the rice, preparing to consult their mentor later.

Under the guidance of Dr. Ruan, a mentor from South China Agricultural University, they were participating in the experiment " Foliar Application of Chelated Selenium Modulated the Chlorophyll Metabolism, Antioxidant Capacity, and Yield of Rice under Salt Stress". An academic journal has recently accepted the related research results. Let's follow Kelly's narrative and explore the story behind the research project that extends from the laboratory to the field.

In simple terms, the study aims to observe the morphological changes and yield characteristics of two rice varieties, "Meixiangzhan 2" and "Liangxiangyou 868", under salt stress (such as high soil salinity) when treated with different concentrations of "chelated selenium" (a compound that helps plants resist adverse conditions). In the later stage, we will also extract chlorophyll and test enzyme activity at the microscopic level to analyse the resistance of the rice.

At first, I thought the experiment would be just like what was written in the textbook: as long as we followed the steps, the results would come out as expected. But the reality turned out to be much more complicated than I imagined. 

For instance, the rice cultivation area we chose was close to the school's greenery, and small insects often nibbled on the leaves. When fertilizing, the mixture of fertilizer and muddy water would breed microorganisms that affected the root system. The most troublesome issue was the anaerobic bacteria problem. Due to excessive watering, there was insufficient oxygen in the soil, causing a large proliferation of anaerobic bacteria, which led to damage to the rice roots and yellowing of the leaves. 

Fortunately, we promptly communicated with Dr. Ruan and followed her advice to reduce the amount of water and drain the excess, gradually alleviating the impact of the anaerobic bacteria. To deal with the insect pests, we conducted regular inspections every day, manually removing the pests, and also discussed protective measures with our classmates. During that period, everyone became a "paddy guardian".

这就导致我们最后选出来进行实验培育的苗，有的长得飞快，有的却迟迟不长，拖了后腿。那时候才明白，科研里"严谨地统一标准"有多重要，任何细节都可能影响最终结果。

Yes! Initially, we had to select the "best-growing" seedlings from a large number of newly cultivated ones for the next stage. However, my members and I had completely different criteria for what constituted a " best-growing seedling" - for instance, I thought "thick stems were good". In contrast, others believed "more leaves were better".

This led to the seedlings we finally chose for experimental cultivation growing at very different paces; some grew extremely fast, while others lagged and held us back. It was only then that I realised how crucial it is to have "strictly unified standards" in scientific research. Any detail could potentially affect the outcome.

At first, I found it very difficult because it was all in professional terms. But as I read more, I was able to figure out some methods. For example, I could search for literature through keywords. When reading the literature, I would first look at the title and abstract to grasp the core, and then delve into the experimental details. When encountering unfamiliar professional terms, I would look up materials and ask my teacher, connecting them with the known knowledge to build a logical framework. Now, my efficiency in reading literature has improved a lot, and I can quickly sort out the logic within it.

我觉得最重要的是培养了我的质疑精神和求知探索能力。比如在生物课上学到有氧呼吸时，我发现课本里的能量数据有矛盾，就主动请教老师、查阅资料，最后找到了课本没提及的额外能量产生过程。这种发现问题、自主解决问题的能力，正是在实验中培养起来的。

I think the most important thing is that it cultivated my spirit of questioning and my ability to seek knowledge and explore. For instance, when I was learning aerobic respiration in biology class, I found that there was a contradiction in the energy data in the textbook. So, I consulted my teacher and looked up materials, and finally found the additional energy production process that was not mentioned in the textbook. The ability to identify problems and solve them independently was precisely developed through experiments.

Previously, I was more inclined towards pure theoretical biological sciences, but through this practical project, I really enjoyed the process of hands-on experiments. From cultivating rice to observing the changes, every step allowed me to feel the joy of scientific research. Also, it helped me understand more clearly the significance of this project. Therefore, when applying for universities in the future, I might choose a major like biotechnology that combines theory and experiments.

从稻田里的 "防虫卫士"，到文献堆里的 "关键词猎人"，Kelly和同学们的科研之旅，收获的不仅是知识，更是解决问题的能力与探索未知的勇气。广州斐特思始终践行"在实践中探索" 的教育理念。在这里，课堂不止于教室，知识不止于课本 —— 当学生带着好奇心走进田野、实验室，科研的种子便已悄然发芽。

From being "pest guards" in the paddies to "keyword hunters" in the stacks of literature, Kelly and her teammates' research journey has reaped not only knowledge but also the ability to solve problems as well as the courage to explore the unknown. FCG has always fulfilled the educational philosophy of "exploring in practice". Here, the class is not confined to the classroom, and knowledge is not limited to textbooks - when students enter the fields and laboratories with curiosity, the seeds of scientific research have quietly sprouted.