Hyderabad:A study of exposing two plant seeds to cosmic rays underway at the International Space Station (ISS), which is expected to help boost global food security, will reach the second stage with the arrival of the seeds from space next week in April. The seeds will be screened for useful traits and identifying new varieties.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Mariano Grossi said the scientific study could have a real impact on people’s lives in the not-too-distant future. Grossi said it would help grow stronger crops and feed more people, amid world population growth projection suggesting it to breach 10 billion by 2050.
The agencies involved in the study said there is a clear need for innovative solutions through science and technology aimed at producing more food, as well as crops that are more resilient and farming methods that are more sustainable, as reported by the the IAEA.
What's new? Since 1946, such experiments have been carried out. This is the first time that the IAEA and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are conducting an astrobiology project. The study aims to develop new crops which can adapt to climate change and help boost global food security. In another first, the DNA of these seeds will be compared to the ones grown under laboratory conditions at the FAO/IAEA greenhouses and laboratories in Seibersdorf.