- Scientists from the Dutch Wageningen University and Research Center managed to grow crops in Mars and moon simulated soil
- The scientists were able to harvest tomatoes, peas, rye, garden rocket, radish and garden cress
- However, even as the crops successfully grew in the simulated soil, the harvest is not ready for human consumption yet
WAGENINGEN, Netherlands – Scientists successfully managed to grow 10 different crops species in simulated soil from Mars and moon.
Farrha Khan mentioned in her article for Tech Radar published on March 9 that scientists from the Dutch Wageningen University and Research Center managed to grow the crops in their second experiment, which is a follow-up of the run done last year.
The first study was not successful as most of the plants barely germinated. On the second attempt, the scientists were to harvest tomatoes, peas, rye, garden rocket, radish and garden cress.
The researcher used simulated soils provided by the NASA, trying to copy as closely as possible the soils found on Mars and the moon.
The researchers achieved better results by adding manure and fresh cut grass to the simulated soil, a similar method done by Matt Damon’s character in The Martian.
Photo Credit: CNET
An article by Ria Misra for Gizmodo published on March 10 said that Dr. Wieger Wamelink explained that the crops produced by the team “was not significantly different from the potting compost we used as a control.”
“That was a real surprise to us. It shows that the Mars soil simulant has great potential when properly prepared and watered,” Wamelink added.
However, the simulated soil from the moon didn’t produce healthy crops like the one produced in the Mars simulated soil.
Michelle Starr said in her article for CNET published on March 8 that eventhough the crops successfully grew in the simulated soil, the harvest is not ready for human consumption yet.
The scientists revealed that the simulated soils have heavy metal contents like lead, arsenic and mercury, plus a high concentration of iron. The team believed that it is likely that those have been absorbed into the crops, making them pretty much poisonous to people.
Despite the downside, the achievement was a big step towards creating a method of growing food on planets other than Earth.
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