Latest news with #Kanakamani
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology researchers gear up to study seeds that were sent to space
With Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and the rest of the Axiom-4 crew expected back on earth on Tuesday, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) here is preparing for post-flight field studies using the crop seeds that were sent to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the high-profile mission. Post-flight studies will be conducted in collaboration with the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), which released the seeds for the project, according to IIST sources. Seeds of Jyothi and Uma rice varieties, Kanakamani (horse gram), Vellayani Vijay (tomato), Thilakathara (sesame) and Soorya (brinjal/eggplant) were sent to the ISS under the 'Crop Seeds on ISS', a project spearheaded by the IIST's Space Biology Lab. The IIST officials said they expected the seeds to reach Thiruvananthapuram within a few days. The biology payload consisted of dry seeds that were packed and exposed to microgravity conditions on the ISS and returned to earth. Back on earth, the space-returned samples will be grown to assess the unique effects of microgravity on growth and yield parameters and how it will be manifested in growth. Comparative studies will be carried out using three sets of samples under different conditions. The 'Crop Seeds on ISS' project was the result of multi-level memorandums of understanding between the ISRO and the European Space Agency, the ISRO's Human Spaceflight Centre (HSFC) and the IIST, and the IIST and the KAU. IIST Vice- Chancellor Dipankar Banerjee and HSFC Director D.K. Singh had inked an MoU in this regard in May. K.G. Sreejalakshmi, Professor, IIST, is the Principal Investigator of the project.
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
KAU sending seeds to space on NASA's Axiom Mission 4
In a collaboration, the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) is joining NASA's Axiom Mission 4, marking a significant milestone for Indian agricultural science in space research. The mission will carry seed varieties developed by the KAU to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a collaborative research initiative. The project is a joint effort involving the European Space Agency (ESA), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), and the KAU's College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The seeds selected for the space experiment include six high-yielding locally developed crop varieties: Jyothi, Uma (rice varieties); Kanakamani (horse gram); Thilakathara (sesame); Soorya (brinjal/eggplant); Vellayani Vijay (tomato). These seeds will undergo rigorous scientific evaluation in the unique microgravity environment of space, according to KAU sources. The primary goal of the study is to examine how space conditions, especially microgravity, affect germination, growth, and viability of food crop seeds. After spending time at the ISS, the seeds will be brought back to earth, planted in controlled environments, and monitored closely for changes in growth, resilience, and productivity. Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla, one of the astronauts aboard the Axiom Mission 4, will play a supportive role in conducting the experiment in space. Among six Indian-led experiments selected for the mission, KAU's microgravity-focussed agricultural research stands out as a key scientific contribution, the KAU sources said.
