Researchers at the University of Florida (USA) have successfully grown Arabidopsis thaliana plants in lunar soil brought back to Earth by Apollo astronauts.
Arabidopsis thaliana growing in lunar soil. (Photo: CNN)
The Guardian reported on May 13 that scientists were curious about the potential for plants to grow in lunar soil, and the results of their experiments were quite surprising. The details of the research were published in the journal Communications Biology on May 12.
Robert Ferl at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida, along with colleagues, sowed Arabidopsis thaliana seeds in 12 grams of lunar soil collected by NASA’s Apollo 11, 12, and 17 missions. They also added water and nutrients to the lunar soil where the seeds were sown.
Additionally, Arabidopsis seeds were grown in a synthetic medium simulating lunar soil, as well as in volcanic ash.
What surprised the researchers was that nearly all the seeds planted in lunar soil actually germinated and began to grow. Notably, after the first week, the characteristics of the lunar soil put pressure on the Arabidopsis thaliana plants, causing them to grow more slowly compared to those grown in Earth soil. Furthermore, their root systems were stunted. Plants grown in lunar soil also took longer to develop leaves than those of the same species grown in volcanic ash.
Research results published in Communications Biology on May 12. (Photo: CNN)
The researchers plan to conduct further experiments to investigate how growing plants in a lunar environment will affect lunar soil. Assistant Professor Stephen Elardo at the University of Florida, who also participated in the research, noted that the Moon has a very dry environment, so they want to study how the minerals in lunar soil react when water and nutrients are added for plant growth.
Further research could help scientists determine the most effective ways to grow plants in lunar soil. Although Arabidopsis thaliana is edible, it is not particularly tasty and is not considered a staple crop. However, Arabidopsis thaliana is related to broccoli, kale, radishes, and cauliflower.
