Green gram, fenugreek seeds from UAS Dharwad on board Axiom-4
Meanwhile, India has another reason to be proud because the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad has been involved in the mission by sending dry seeds of green gram and fenugreek (methi) to the International Space Station (ISS) for space-based nutritional research.
Dr Ravikumar Hosamani, assistant professor, department of biotechnology at UAS Dharwad and the principal investigator of the project, told TOI that Indian astronaut Shubhanshu will add water to these seeds to dehydrate them, which will begin to sprout within 2-4 days.
"The sprouts will then be frozen on the space station until they return to Earth. Upon their return, we will assess the sprouting rate (germination) of seeds, evaluate their nutritional quality, analyse changes in phytohormone dynamics, and study the sprout transcriptome response to space conditions.
Additionally, we plan to investigate microbial growth in the space sprout. This research will contribute to the development of India- centric salad vegetable for astronaut nourishment in space in the future" Dr Hosamani explained.
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Dr Hosamani stated that sprouted seeds are known to be nutrient-dense, offering greater dietary value than many whole salad plants. "Green gram is a traditional semi-arid sprout commonly used in Indian cuisine, while fenugreek (Methi) offers significant medicinal benefits and is rich in nutraceuticals. For instance, fenugreek is widely reported to boost immune function, improve bone health, minimize the risk of kidney stone formation and address cardiovascular issues.
Coincidently, these are also eminent health risks associated with the human crew in space," Dr Hosamani said.
The frozen sprouts are expected to be shipped back to UAS Dharwad within the next 14 days. Detailed nutritional and physiological assessments will begin upon their arrival.
The project is being conducted in collaboration with Dr Sudheer Siddapureddy, associate professor at IIT-Dharwad, who serves as the co-investigator.
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