China launched a satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center Saturday, carrying 215 kilograms of seeds of plants and fungus, the largest-ever such payload since 1987.

The seed-breeding satellite, "Shijian-8", has been successfully brought into the pre-set track in space by a Long March-2C rocket carrier.

Once the space-bred seeds are recovered, the Ministry of Agriculture will organize research institutions to develop new seeds featuring high yield, good quality and high efficiency, according to a spokesman with the Space-breeding Center of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science.

It is the 90th space flight of the Long March rockets and the 23rd return satellite China has launched so far. It has been the country's 48th successful space launch in succession since October 1996.

The Xi'an Satellite Control Center is responsible for monitoring, controlling, and recovering the Shijian-8.

(Xinhua News Agency September 11, 2006)