If the idea of lunar humus seems absurd, think again. Scientists working to develop the field of extraterrestrial agriculture cultivated chickpeas in soil composed mainly of simulated lunar soilan important step toward allowing astronauts on long-duration lunar missions to produce their own food.
The researchers said ready-to-harvest chickpeas were grown in soil mixtures composed primarily of “moon soil,” modeled after lunar samples collected during NASA’s Apollo missions more than half a century ago.
Chickpeas of the “Myles” variety were grown in a climate-controlled growth chamber at Texas A&M University. The seeds were coated with beneficial fungi and planted in a mixture of simulated lunar soil, produced by Florida-based company Space Resource Technologies, and a nutrient-rich substance called vermicompost, produced when earthworms break down organic waste.
Harvestable chickpeas grew in soil mixtures with up to 75% lunar simulant. As the percentage of simulated lunar soil—known as regolith—increased, the number of harvestable chickpeas decreased, although the size of the grains remained stable. Seeds planted in 100% lunar simulant did not produce flowers or seeds, suffering early death.
The United States and China have plans to send astronauts back to the lunar surface in the coming years, with a view to establishing permanent bases on the Moon.
“Chickpeas are rich in protein and other essential nutrients, making them a strong candidate for space crop production,” said Jessica Atkin, a doctoral candidate and NASA fellow in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M, lead author of the research published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports.
A local food source is considered vital to sustaining people working at lunar bases, due to the impracticality of transporting all the necessary food from Earth.
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“In our goal of establishing a lunar presence — or on Mars — we will need to learn how to grow food on the Moon, as it will not be sustainable to transport food on spacecraft. This is because it is still very expensive to send things to space, so weight is an important factor, and also because the survival of astronauts on the Moon cannot depend on sending supplies on time,” said study co-author Sara Oliveira Santos, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Texas Geophysics Institute.
“Plants would also help produce oxygen and enhance life support systems for future human settlements,” said astrobiologist Jyothi Basapathi Raghavendra of Northumbria University in England, lead author of a second study published Thursday that examined the growth conditions of microbes in simulated Martian soil.
Lunar soil is primarily crushed rock and dust, often sharp and glassy, formed over billions of years by meteorite impacts. Although it contains essential nutrients and minerals for plant growth, it is inorganic and inhospitable, unlike terrestrial soil, which is rich in nutrients and organic matter.
“Previous studies have shown that plants can germinate in authentic lunar samples or grow in regolith simulants, often with the addition of compost or other types of organic matter,” Atkin said. “In this study, we focused on microorganisms. Instead of just adding organic material, we tested whether partnerships between plants and microbes could help condition the regolith, improve its structure and reduce plant stress.”
What does it taste like?
So what did these chickpeas taste like? We still don’t know.
“Chickpeas are being tested for metal accumulation, which is why we’re not eating them yet,” Atkin said.
Lunar regolith and the simulant used by researchers contain high levels of metals such as aluminum and iron. Iron is an essential nutrient for plants. Aluminum is not, and can be toxic if ingested.
“Before anyone makes lunar humus, we need to confirm that it is safe and nutritious. The results will be published in a companion paper later this year,” said Atkin.
The fungi used to coat the seeds worked in symbiosis with the chickpeas, helping the plants absorb some essential nutrients and reducing the absorption of heavy metals. The microorganisms successfully colonized the roots, even in a 100% regolith simulant, and helped to clump together loose particles, making the regolith behave more like terrestrial soil.
The researchers had some fun in the lab. Atkin played lunar-themed music, such as Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising,” to encourage plant growth. Atkin also hung a photo of chickpeas growing on the moon.
“It’s kind of silly, but it’s something to aim for,” Atkin said.
“This is a small first step towards growing food on the Moon,” said Oliveira Santos, “but we have shown that this is feasible and we are moving in the right direction.”
