Astrobotany: Growing Plants in Space

2/21/2022

Good day everyone!

Small introduction, I am proud to be back! It's been about a year, and I somehow lost motivation to make these posts, but I am happy to return! Other than that, I've realized that the title of this blog doesn't do justice to the posts I produce. Before, I posted about the Perseverance Rover, Aquaponics, and Hydroponics. So as you've seen, I've changed the name to Plant Science and Discovery! This will not just discuss plant science, but scientific leaps that are important in unraveling the tapestry of the Earth, and understanding our place in it. Before I start, I'm working on a new project and series, so keep reading until the end. Hope you enjoy it!

A Zinna Flower growing on the International Space Station

    The date was 4000 BCE, between the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf, civilization began in the Fertile Crescent. It was a place where Earth's bounty was rich, providing vast numbers of resources and soil akin to gold. From this, people collectively worked together to harvest the great wealth that was the Fertile Crescent. What those people didn't realize, was they had created the foundation of civilization; harvestable plants. The Cradle of Civilization was made. During this time, they didn't know what was out in the world, about how truly big it was. Yet the discovery of harvesting plants, allowed us to make leaps and bounds that no one would believe.

Artist's rendition of Mesopotamia

    Humanity is experiencing a similar time where we discover our place in the universe, and venture out away from the comfort of home. And it's the same concept of growing plants, but in space; Astrobotany.

    The Astrobotany subfield was coined by Astronomer Gavriil Adrianovich Tikhov, a pioneer in his newly minted field called Astrobiology, the study of extraterrestrial life (In a future post, I will dive more in-depth into his life and his mark on the world). Astrobotany however, is the study of how plants behave in space.

    On Earth, plants use light and gravity to orient themselves. But in a zero-gravity environment, the only constant is light. Learning how plants can orient themselves in such environments and how they adapt is what the Gilroy Science Lab does.

    The Gilroy Lab, led by Dr. Simon Gilroy, uncovers the behaviors of plants in an environment such as space. For example, an experiment called Targeting Improved Cotton through Orbital Cultivation (TIC-TOC) isolated and enhanced a gene that provided resistance to droughts and salinity stress. The Gilroy Lab also understood how roots absorbed and transported water in a zero-gravity environment, which can be used to optimize its ability to find resources and water. Put in perspective, it takes approximately 2,700 liters of water to grow enough cotton for 1 T-Shirt. For 1 kg of cotton, it takes 10,000 liters of water! (1) This research is invaluable, as in a world of climate change, increasing efficiency and reducing the impact on the soil is a big step up in reducing the impact humans have on the environment.

Dr. Simon Gilroy holding the mission patch for the TIC-TOC experiment

    In space, however, mastering how to grow plants in space can give a reliable food source, allowing missions to stay at locations for longer without resupplies. This extra space in resupply missions can be filled with materials used for construction, or tools for experimenting. Plants can also be modified to be grown specifically in low or no gravity environments, they can suck up more carbon, etc.

    With all of these advancements, however, it's just the beginning. Like the people in Mesopotamia, the act of growing food led to the advancements that allow us to be where we are today. Computers, satellites, modern medicine, comfort, better lives. Growing food in space? Well, I'll let your imagination do it for you.

Woo! Thank you for reading until the end, I hope you learned something new about astrobotany!

Anyways, I said I am beginning a new project and a series at the introduction, so here I am:

I'm creating a series about my experience of growing a variety of vegetables, fruits, and flowers. 

It is called Earth's Bounty!

It has always been an ambitious project of mine, starting with my concept art of a seedling nursery growing tiny little plants and I thought at times: What if I went bigger?

Because of this, I'll do a log of what I've accomplished: seeding, measuring, and reaping the rewards!

Making an automated watering system is something I've been wanting to do for the longest time, so I might dabble in Arduino here and there.

I am also starting a series that I am calling Plant Functions, and I am doing that side by side with studying botany, so I don't expect to complete it soon, as I want to keep things healthy to an amount where I will enjoy posting and not keep myself burnt out for almost a year.

It's been a pleasure! Thank you so much for reading!

🌱

Source:

1) Article about the TIC-TOC Experiment written by Gil Cauthorn on astrobotany.com: https://astrobotany.com/how-could-cotton-grown-in-space-change-our-world/ 

2) A summary of a chapter in a book called "The Creator of Astrobotany, Gavriil Adrianovich Tikhov": https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-35983-5_8

3) The Gilroy Lab, situated in Wisconsin-Madison University: https://astrobiology.botany.wisc.edu/gilroy-lab-home