Plants in space Taking into account that plants constitute 50% of our food,
cherry tomato. Recently, in 2017 scientists from Peru toge-
there is a high demand for considering possible ways to
ther with Frito-Lay Co. used a simulator that mimics the
grow them in space conditions. Since 1960s experiments
harsh conditions on Mars (e.g. frosty below-zero tempera-
have been conducted in space stations and also on board
tures, high carbon monoxide concentrations, and a system
a spacecraft using plants of several species such as tomato,
of lights imitating the Martian day and night) to successfully
potato, lettuce, Arabidopsis or even wheat. It is not an easy
grow a potato plant. It raises hope for human life on the Red
task to perform such experiments and many challenges
Planet.
need to be addressed if astronauts are to successfully grow enough food.
Understanding the genetic basis of plant development and the mechanism of response to extreme conditions will
Such challenges include reduced gravity, elevated radiation
allow for better adjustment of plant material to space con-
levels and artificial light. Although there are several examples
ditions. At the University of Silesia, Department of Genetics,
of successful stories such as lettuce grown in International
we are working on semi-dwarf genotypes of barley that
Space Station, there is a need to develop advanced space
successfully deal with water deficit in the soil. One can
agriculture technologies. Additionally, taking into account
imagine a scenario where a multi-layered network of stress
the limited amount of space available on board a rocket
response in plants can be controlled in order to obtain plants
or ISS, scientists aimed to grow dwarf varieties of wheat or
better adjusted to extreme space conditions.
Agata Daszkowska-Golec, PhD Geneticist and molecular biologist Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice
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S pac e I n va d e r s / W e Da r e to I n v i t e Yo u
