Growing pioneer Plants for a Lunar Base

The primary function of pioneer plants with associated microorganisms is to form a soil with adequate fertility.

“The primary function of the pioneer plants with associated microorganisms is to form a soil with adequate fertility.”

The simulants contained specific root-colonizing bacteria that could decompose the Lunar silicate rock and release the cations essential for plant growth.

“The simulants contained specific root-colonizing bacteria that could decompose the Lunar silicate rock and release the cations essential for plant growth.”

Selected pioneer plants can be grown initially to improve the root zone during cultivation and provide plant residues for humification at the end of their life cycle.

“Furthermore, selected pioneer plants can be grown initially (Kozyrovska et al., 2006) to improve the root zone during cultivation and provide plant residues for humification at the end of their life cycle.”

At the end of the growth cycle, Kozyrovska et al. (2006) demonstrated that first-generation plant residues could serve as a supply of green manure for humification and as a potential nutrient source.

“At the end of the growth cycle, the authors demonstrated that the first-generation plant residues could serve as a supply of green manure for humification and as a potential nutrient source.”

Tagetes patula plants were able to grow on moon rock simulant with and without the addition of bacteria, and were able to blossom.

“These studies revealed that these plants were able to grow with and without the addition of bacteria [20], [21], and that plants were able to blossom [20].”

Our results are in line with earlier research on Arabidopsis thaliana and Tagetes patula on moon regolith simulant and moon rock simulant, though our results appear to be less promising.

“Our results are in line with earlier research on Arabidopsis thaliana and Tagetes patula [19]–[21] on moon regolith simulant and moon rock simulant, though our results appear to be less promising.”

Earlier research on Arabidopsis thaliana and Tagetes patula on regolith and Moon rock simulant also produced flowering plants.

“Earlier research on Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.and Tagetes patula L. (Ferl et al. 2010; Kozyrovska et al. 2006; Zaets et al. 2011) on regolith and Moon rocksimulant also produced flowering plants.”