The soil on Mars and the Moon can grow trees

If we are going to set up permanent bases on the Moon or Mars, we need to think of ways to make our own food.

There are big questions regarding the production of water and the potential dangers of cosmic rays, and above all, food. To solve these questions, Dutch researchers have found some surprising results.

Mars and the Moon can help plants grow like they do on Earth.

In the new report, researchers led by Wieger Wamelink at Wageningen University's Research Center and University in the Netherlands have built a special model to plant trees with fake soil such as those on the Moon and Mars issued by NASA. development. They found that it is possible to plant food crops for future astronauts directly on the land of another world, and the crops grown can produce viable seeds that can then be grown. replant.

The simulated soils are mixed with organic matter to provide nutrients for the plants and standard Earth soils are used as reference samples. The team tried to grow 10 different plants: watercress, rocket salad, tomatoes, radishes, rye, quinoa, spinach, chives, peas, and leeks.

The results showed that only spinach was the only crop that did not reach the point where scientists were able to harvest edible portions.

'In these limited preliminary experiments, we found that plant growth on soil and Mars simulations was possible. The addition of organic matter to both simulations such as the environment on Mars and the Moon leads to the germination and growth of all ten plant species. A number of crops have produced fruit and seeds on both Mars and Moon simulations , ' the researchers said in the report.

Fake Martian soil has the same yield as the earth we have on Earth. Land from the Moon is less productive.

"We were thrilled to see the first tomatoes planted on mimic soil on Mars turn red. That means the next step towards a sustainable closed ecosystem of agriculture. have been done , " said Wamelink researcher.

For 3 of the 10 species grown (beets, watercress and rye), enough seeds could be harvested for a germination experiment and none of the germinated plants would die within 20 days of the experiment. Radish germinates better in Mars soil and Earth than the Moon soil.

This experiment is an early look at what we may need in the future, but if the space agencies are serious about settlements.

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