Sunday Supplement: Samaran Seeds Heading for Space

Scientists from Samara University have selected a batch of rare seeds to launch on Bion-M2.

Bion-M model at the MAKS-2021 airshow. Image credit Kirill Borisenko, via Wikimedia Commons.

When the Bion-M2 orbital laboratory blasts into space later this year, it will be carrying a payload of seeds from rare plants selected by specialists from the Samara University Botanical Garden. Although Russia has sent seeds into space before, this experiment is unique because it will study plants of rare species of natural flora rather than agricultural crops.

“Based on the results of laboratory research, samples of seeds from 20 rare plants listed in the Red Books of the Russian Federation and the Samara Region were selected for sending into space. Literally every ‘candidate’, every seed, was closely studied by us using soft-beam radiography, and we are completely confident that it will make it into orbit the highest quality seed material will be sent,” said Elena Kayurova, an agronomist from the flora department.