Bioaugmentation in Growing Plants for Lunar Bases

Studies report that Martian and Lunar simulants have a pH above 6, and have alkaline properties in some cases, suggesting low rates of mineral weathering and cation release.

“Studies report that the Martian and Lunar simulants have a pH above 6, and have alkaline properties in some cases (Gilrain et al., 1999;Zaets et al., 2011;Wamelink et al., 2014;Caporale et al., 2020;Eichler et al., 2021), suggesting low rates of mineral weathering and cation release.”

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.”