After successfully cultivating various vegetables, Russian scientists at the Vostok Research Station will grow watermelons and cucumbers in Antarctica.
According to RIA Novosti, Russian scientists at the Vostok Research Station in Antarctica will begin planting watermelons and cucumbers in the coldest area on Earth starting February 2023, with a harvest expected 68 days after planting.
A scientist at the Vostok Research Station next to a tomato grown in Antarctica – (Photo: RIA NOVOSTI).
Researcher Andrey Teplyakov stated that the watermelons will have a diameter of about 20 cm, smaller than regular watermelons, but are promised to have a flavor similar to typical watermelons.
In November 2022, the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) announced a bountiful harvest of 28.5 kg of tomatoes and 9 kg of black pepper per square meter of cultivation.
Previously, scientists successfully harvested 94 kg of Chinese cabbage, 72 kg of rapeseed, 69 kg of lettuce, 32 kg of sprouts, and 53 kg of purslane.
Of the total harvest, half of the vegetables will cater to the needs of researchers in Antarctica, while the remainder will be sent to the Agricultural Physics Research Institute in Saint Petersburg (AFI) for further study.
Currently, researchers at AFI are continuing to develop a new planting method called panoponics, based on the principles of hydroponics and aeroponics.
This method utilizes a thin substrate made from materials similar to fabric, containing nutrient solutions with concentrations and components akin to those found in nature, rather than using soil.
Additionally, the panoponics method employs LED systems with a spectrum closely resembling that of sunlight, replacing the natural light from the sun.
This experiment is part of efforts to create a new food supply for astronauts on missions at the International Space Station (ISS) or for future goals on Mars or the Moon.
The choice of the Vostok Research Station for these experiments is due to its climate and temperature conditions, which are most similar to those of extraterrestrial planets.
Moreover, AFI’s efforts to cultivate vegetables in Antarctica aim to develop new technology that allows residents in harsh climates in northern Russia, such as Siberia, to grow their own vegetables.
In Siberia, vegetables are extremely expensive because they cannot be grown locally, and maintaining the appropriate temperature and light conditions for cultivation in greenhouses in this region incurs high costs.
With the panoponics method, residents can grow vegetables indoors, and importantly, this cultivation technique requires only electricity to operate the LED lighting system.
However, cultivating plants in Antarctica poses a challenge: pollination must be done manually, as there are no insect species like bees or butterflies in this area.
