2023-11-16 12:00:09
A team of agronomists and biotechnicians from China Agricultural University recently made a major breakthrough in space research. In a study published in the journal Communications Biology, these researchers demonstrated that adding bacteria to simulated lunar regolith – a substitute for lunar soil made of volcanic materials – increases the quantity; a scalar,. ..) of phosphate available to plants. This discovery might make it possible to cultivate plants on the Moon.
As several countries consider sending humans back to the Moon, a crucial question arises: how to feed workers over a long period of time? The obvious solution would be to grow crops on site. However, this raises the problem of transporting fertile soil from Earth.
Researchers had already demonstrated the feasibility of growing plants in lunar regolith. However, this soil was not nutritious enough for plants to mature and produce food. The Chinese study provides a solution: the use of bacteria to improve the quality of regolith.
To carry out their experiment, the researchers used volcanic material, similar to lunar regolith, from a mountain in China. They added three types of bacteria: Pseudomonas (Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas can be defined by:) fluorescens, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus mucilaginosus.
After growing the bacteria in the soil samples, the team observed an increase in the acidity of the soil, thereby reducing its pH level. This modification dissolved insoluble phosphate-containing minerals, releasing phosphorus, a crucial element for plants.
Photograph showing plants in two control groups and four treatments. Eleven images for each group of plants, including those with median leaf diameter and slightly larger and smaller plants. Each row shares a rule, visible on the right. The identifier (In computing, we call identifiers (also sometimes called in English login) the…) of each image is at the bottom of each image.
Credit: Communications Biology (2023)
Finally, the team planted Nicotiana benthamiana, a nightshade species close to tobacco native to Australia, in the treated soil. The results were encouraging: the plants had stronger roots, longer stems and larger leaves compared to untreated samples.
Lunar regolith: a soil like no other
Lunar regolith, often brought up in discussions of space exploration, deserves special attention. Regolith is the material that covers the surface of the Moon. Composed mainly of small fragments of rocks and fine dust, it is the result of billions of years of meteorite impacts. What makes it unique is its training environment: without air, without water, and in conditions of temperature (Temperature is a physical quantity measured using a thermometer and…) extremes.
Its chemical composition is also remarkable. Lunar regolith contains elements such as oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron, calcium and aluminum (Aluminum is a chemical element, symbol Al and atomic number 13….). However, it is deficient in elements vital for plant growth, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, its structure is devoid of organic matter (Organic matter (OM) is the carbonaceous matter generally produced by…), essential for fertility (For common sense, fertility designates at the end of the 20th century the …) from the ground on Earth.
The main challenge for growing plants in lunar regolith therefore lies in its inert composition and lack of necessary nutrients. This is where recent research, such as that from the China Agricultural University, comes into play. By adding specific bacteria, the researchers were able to transform this sterile soil into an environment more conducive to plant growth. This process, called bio-amending, involves using microorganisms to release or synthesize key nutrients, such as phosphorus, directly in the soil.
This innovation opens up fascinating perspectives for space agriculture, in particular for long-term missions to the Moon, or even to other celestial bodies. By understanding and exploiting the unique properties of lunar regolith, scientists are taking a step closer to food self-sufficiency in space, a crucial element for future space exploration.
1700136489
#bacteria #lunar #soil #fertile