Staple Nigerian meals melon seeds, popularly often known as Egusi, have achieved a serious milestone by heading to house as a part of a world analysis mission centered on crop adaptability.
The historic initiative was led by Temidayo Oniosun, founding father of Area in Africa, in collaboration with The Karman Undertaking and Jaguar Area LLC.
Oniosun introduced on Thursday that the mission goals to review how egusi responds to microgravity and discover its potential position in future meals programs for house exploration.
Sourced from Oyo State, the egusi seeds have been launched into house on Friday aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The launch, which had been delayed on account of climate, occurred at 11:43 AM EDT as a part of NASA’s Crew 11 mission to the Worldwide Area Station.
ALSO READ: How you can become the first Nigerian to travel to space — it can be anybody
This marks the primary time seeds from Nigeria, or any agricultural crop from West Africa, are being despatched into house.
In an interview with Channels TV, Oniosun defined why he selected egusi to characterize Nigeria.
“I believe egusi is probably the most cultural dish in Nigeria. The Yorubas say it originated from them. The Igbos additionally declare it. Everybody connects with egusi, together with Nigerians within the diaspora,” he stated.
Extremely versatile and protein-rich, egusi could be soaked, fermented, or utilized in soups. It’s also identified for rising properly in poor soils and drought situations.
Researchers imagine its efficiency in house might result in new insights into seed preservation, crop resilience, and sustainable meals manufacturing each in house and on Earth.
ALSO READ: Nigeria planned to locally launch a satellite into space in 2025 — it’s no longer possible
