The biophysical limitations in physiological transport and exchange in plants grown in microgravity
Abstract
This paper describes how changes in the physical behavior of fluids and gases in microgravity can limit the physiological transport and exchange in higher plants. These types of effects are termed indirect effects of microgravity because they are not due to gravity interacting with the mass of the plant body itself. The impact of limiting gravity-dependent transport phenomena has been analyzed by the use of mathematical modeling to simulate and compare biophysical transport in the 1g and spaceflight environments. These data clearly show that the microgravity environment induces significant limitations on basic physiological and biochemical processes within the aerial and rootzone portions of the plant. Furthermore, this mathematical model provides a solid foundation for explaining the physiological effects that have been noted in past spaceflight experiments.
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Reduced gravity indirectly affects the surrounding environment of the plant, influencing physiological transport of water and solutes and gas exchange.
“reduced gravity indirectly affects the surrounding environment of the plant, influencing the physiological transport of water and solutes, and gas exchange [45]”
From Mars Regolith Simulant Ameliorated by Compost as in situ Cultivation Substrate Improves Lettuce Growth and Nutritional Aspects (2020) · cites this paper as [45]
On Mars, low gravity could interact with buoyancy-driven thermal convection, causing an increase in boundary layer thickness with consequent biophysical limitations on gas exchange and transpiration in higher plants.
“on Mars, the low gravity (1/3 of Earth’s gravity) could interact with the buoyancy-driven thermal convection, causing an increase in the boundary layer thickness with consequent biophysical limitations on the processes of gas exchange and transpiration in higher plants [45]”
From Mars Regolith Simulant Ameliorated by Compost as in situ Cultivation Substrate Improves Lettuce Growth and Nutritional Aspects (2020) · cites this paper as [45]
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Massa, G. D., Dufour, N. F., Carver, J. A., Hummerick, M. E., Wheeler, R. M., Morrow, R. C., & Smith, T. M. (2017) · Open Agriculture · doi:10.1515/opag-2017-0003 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Duri, L. G., El-Nakhel, C., Caporale, A. G., Ciriello, M., Graziani, G., Pannico, A., Palladino, M., Ritieni, A., De Pascale, S., Vingiani, S., et al. (2020) · Plants · doi:10.3390/plants9050628 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
- Authors
- Porterfield, D. M.
- Affiliations
- Missouri University of Science and Technology (US)
- Corresponding author
- Porterfield, D. Marshall
- Venue
- Journal of Plant Growth Regulation
- Published
- 2002-05-24
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 177-190
- ISSN
- 0721-7595 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-8107
- OpenAlex
- W2143420254
- Cited by
- 89
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 1.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Plant Growth Regulation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Spaceflight effects on biology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Greenhouse Technology and Climate Control
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Light effects on plants
- Keywords
- microgravity, plant physiology, gas exchange, fluid transport, mathematical modeling, spaceflight, root zone
- MeSH terms
- Air Movements, Alcohol Dehydrogenase, Biophysics, Gravitation, Oxygen, Plants, Space Flight, Weightlessness, Convection, Plant Leaves, Plant Roots, Biophysical Phenomena, Plant Development
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