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Cited by 47Plant Growth and Agriculture TechniquesGrowth and nutrition in plantsInnovations in Aquaponics and Hydroponics Systems

Mars Regolith Simulant Ameliorated by Compost as in situ Cultivation Substrate Improves Lettuce Growth and Nutritional Aspects

Open access
Duri, Luigi G., El-Nakhel, Christophe, Caporale, Antonio G., Ciriello, Michele, Graziani, Giulia, Pannico, Antonio, Palladino, Mario, Ritieni, Alberto +4 more·2020·Plants
DOI 10.3390/plants9050628PMC PMC7285329
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Abstract

Heavy payloads in future shuttle journeys to Mars present limiting factors, making self-sustenance essential for future colonies. Therefore, in situ resources utilization (ISRU) is the path to successful and feasible space voyages. This research frames the concept of planting leafy vegetables on Mars regolith simulant, ameliorating this substrate’s fertility by the addition of organic residues produced in situ. For this purpose, two butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) cultivars (green and red Salanova®) were chosen to be cultivated in four different mixtures of MMS-1 Mojave Mars simulant:compost (0:100, 30:70, 70:30 and 100:0; v:v) in a phytotron open gas exchange growth chamber. The impact of compost rate on both crop performance and the nutritive value of green- and red-pigmented cultivars was assessed. The 30:70 mixture proved to be optimal in terms of crop performance, photosynthetic activity, intrinsic water use efficiency and quality traits of lettuce. In particular, red Salanova® showed the best performance in terms of these quality traits, registering 32% more phenolic content in comparison to 100% simulant. Nonetheless, the 70:30 mixture represents a more realistic scenario when taking into consideration the sustainable use of compost as a limited resource in space farming, while still accepting a slight significant decline in yield and quality in comparison to the 30:70 mixture.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Amending MMS-1 Mars regolith simulant with compost improved lettuce yield and nutritional quality, with the 30:70 simulant:compost mixture optimal for crop performance and quality traits. Red Salanova outperformed green in bioactive compounds, while 70:30 was proposed as a more realistic compromise because compost is a limited resource in space farming.

Key findings

  • The 30:70 simulant:compost mixture gave the highest fresh yield for both cultivars: 61.2 and 68.0 g plant−1 for green and red Salanova, respectively; 100% simulant was ~21% lower than the 30:70 mixture.
  • The 30:70 mixture also produced the highest net CO2 assimilation rates: 11.3 and 14.0 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1 for green and red Salanova, respectively; values in 100:0 were 33% and 32% lower.
  • Red Salanova showed better quality traits, including 32% more phenolic content than 100% simulant, around 123% more total polyphenols than green Salanova, and the highest total ascorbic acid value of ~87.1 mg AA 100 g−1 fw in the 30:70 mixture and 100% regolith.
  • The 70:30 mixture was considered more realistic for sustainable space farming because compost is limited, despite a slight significant decline in yield and quality compared with 30:70; 100% simulant was feasible but yielded around 20% less and had lower shoot NO3, PO4, K, and bioactive compounds, except total ascorbic acid.

Methods

  • A 19-day phytotron experiment used a factorial combination of four MMS-1:compost mixtures (0:100, 30:70, 70:30, and 100:0; v:v) and two butterhead lettuce cultivars (green and red Salanova), arranged in a randomized complete-block design with three replicates, 24 experimental units of seven plants each (168 plants total), and drip fertigation with a modified Hoagland solution.
  • Measurements included fresh biomass, leaf gas exchange (net CO2 assimilation, stomatal resistance, transpiration, and intrinsic water use efficiency), shoot and root mineral composition by ion chromatography, total nitrogen by Kjeldahl, total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid by spectrophotometry, carotenoids by HPLC-DAD, and polyphenols by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS.
  • Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at P ≤ 0.05, and Student’s t-test was used to compare the two cultivars.

Limitations

  • The paper states that future studies are needed without additive fertigation, relying solely on in situ fertility, and that testing organic matter from treated human excrement is worthy of investigation.
  • The paper states that 70:30 is a more realistic scenario because compost is a limited resource in space farming, accepting a slight decline in yield and quality compared with 30:70.
  • Evident from the text: the experiment was a short 19-day pot trial in a controlled phytotron at ambient CO2 (370–410 ppm), not under Mars conditions; it used only two lettuce cultivars and one Mars simulant/compost source, so results may not directly translate to actual Mars regolith, low gravity, or other crops.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3390/plants9050628

Cites

73 of 73 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

28 of 92 cited sources checked · 17 supported · 1 flagged · accuracy not yet measured

  • Premisecitation

    Loading food supplies onto the shuttle for a journey to Mars involves serious technical limitations.

    “A journey to Mars requires tool inputs and food supplies, but loading the latter onto the shuttle involves serious technical limitations [1,2]”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim2 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [1] Menezes, 2015, Towards synthetic biological approaches to resource utilization on space missions, J. R. Soc. Interface source
    • cites [2] Llorente, B., Williams, T., and Goold, H. (2018). The multiplanetary future of plant synthetic biology. Genes, 9. source

      Section 1 says the enormous logistical costs of launching and resupplying resources from Earth limit human space exploration; Section 2 says Mars missions will need to reduce reliance on shipped cargo. This supports a general difficulty with transporting supplies, but the paper does not identify technical limitations specific to loading food onto a shuttle. (LLM, conf=0.82)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Interpretationown data

    The positive correlation confirms the potential qualitative improvement of vegetables due to compost application.

    “confirming the potential qualitative improvement of vegetables due to compost application, as reported by Sousa et al. [60], Saikia and Upadhyaya, [61], Aminifard et al. [62] and Lujàn-Hidalgo et al. [63]”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [60] Sousa, 2005, Influence of two fertilization regimens on the amounts of organic acids and phenolic compounds of tronchuda cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. Var. costata DC), J. Agric. Food Chem. source
    • cites [61] Saikia, 2011, Antioxidant activity, phenol and flavonoid content of A.racemosus Willd. a medicinal plant grown using different organic manures, Res. J. Pharm. Biol. Chem. Sci.

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [62] Aminifard, 2013, Effect of compost on antioxidant components and fruit quality of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), J. Cent. Eur. Agric. source
  • Premisecitation

    The antioxidant activity of plants is affected by the amount of organic matter present in the substrate due to factors such as higher K availability, greater abundance of soluble salts and micronutrients.

    “The antioxidant activity of plants is affected by the amount of organic matter present in the substrate, namely the compost rate in our experiment, due to various factors such as higher K availability since this element is strongly linked to enzymatic activities [56,57], the greater abundance of soluble salts [58] and micronutrients [59].”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 4 sources checked
    • cites [56] Fageria, N.K. (2009). The Use of Nutrients in Crop Plants, CRC Press—Taylor & Francis Group. source
    • cites [57] Fanasca, 2006, Changes in antioxidant content of tomato fruits in response to cultivar and nutrient solution composion, J. Agric. Food Chem. source
    • cites [58] Ding, 2018, Electrical conductivity of nutrient solution influenced photosynthesis, quality, and antioxidant enzyme activity of pakchoi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. Chinensis) in a hydroponic system, PLoS ONE source

      The Results and Discussion (page unavailable in our copy) show that electrical conductivity and salt stress affected antioxidant enzyme activity in hydroponic pakchoi, supporting the point for which [58] is cited. The paper does not establish that compost or substrate organic matter increases soluble salts or thereby changes antioxidant activity; the K and micronutrient points are attached to other citations. (LLM, conf=0.87)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [59] Taghipour, 2017, The effect of micronutrients on antioxidant properties of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) under humic acid using condition, YYU J. Agric. Sci.

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Premisecitation

    Very few works have dealt with cultivation on Mars simulants.

    “very few works have dealt with cultivation on Mars simulants”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [34] Gilrain, M.R., Hogan, J.A., Cowan, R.M., Finstein, M.S., and Logendra, L.S. (1999). Preliminary study of greenhouse grown Swiss chard in mixtures of compost and Mars regolith simulant. SAE Tech. Pap. source
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    • cites [36] Wamelink, G.W., Frissel, J.Y., Krijnen, W.H., Verwoert, M.R., and Goedhart, P.W. (2014). Can plants grow on Mars and the moon: A growth experiment on Mars and moon soil simulants. PLoS ONE, 9. source
  • Findingown data

    Salanova nitrate content expressed on a fresh weight basis in all four mixtures was within the maximum nitrate limit for lettuce set by European Commission Regulation No 1258/2011 for commercialization.

    “Salanova nitrate content expressed on a fresh weight basis in all four mixtures was within the maximum nitrate limit for lettuce set by the European Commission Regulation No 1258/2011 for commercialization.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites European Commission Regulation No 1258/2011

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 28
  • May combine two claims. 41

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Lesfrud et al., Kolton et al. and Ouzounis et al. declared that chlorophyll, lutein and β-carotene are mainly influenced by light.

    “Lesfrud et al. [53], Kolton et al. [54] and Ouzounis et al. [55] declared that chlorophyll, lutein and β-carotene are mainly influenced by light.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim3 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [53] Lefsrud, 2008, Dry matter content and stability of carotenoids in kale and spinach during drying, HortScience source

      The results on kale pigment accumulation report effects of nitrogen treatment and drying temperature on lutein, β-carotene, and chlorophyll; they do not compare those effects with light. A title in the References mentions a separate irradiance study, but our copy does not state that these pigments are mainly influenced by light (searched for light and irradiance). (LLM, conf=0.76)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [54] Wojciechowska, 2014, The storage ability of lamb’s lettuce cultivated in the greenhouse under LED or HPS lamps, J. Hortic. Res. source

      The Results state that light composition during growth did not affect pigment content in stored lamb’s lettuce. The paper also says it observed no effect of cultivation light source on chlorophyll or carotenoid content. It measured total carotenoids, not lutein and β-carotene separately. (LLM, conf=0.88)

      Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [55] Ouzounis, 2015, Predawn and high intensity application of supplemental blue light decreases the quantum yield of PSII and enhances the amount of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and pigments in Lactuca sativa, Front. Plant Sci. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Plants can sustain the psychological wellbeing of space explorers.

    “as well as sustaining the psychological wellbeing of space explorers [10,11,12]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [10] Bates, 2009, Plants as countermeasures: A review of the literature and application to habitation systems for humans living in isolated or extreme environments, Habitation source
    • cites [11] Koga, 2013, Psychological and physiological effect in humans of touching plant foliage-using the semantic differential method and cerebral activity as indicators, J. Physiol. Anthropol. source

      The Conclusions report an unconscious calming response when people touched a natural pothos leaf. The study did not examine space explorers or whether plants sustain psychological wellbeing during spaceflight; its Discussion also describes the participants’ reported psychological impression as unclear. (LLM, conf=0.86)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [12] Odeh, 2017, Gardening for therapeutic people-plant interactions during long-duration space missions, Open Agric. source

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Plants can sustain crew survival away from Earth by producing fresh food and contributing ecological services such as air purification and water recycling.

    “Plants can sustain crew survival away from the Earth, by producing fresh food as part of their edible biomass and simultaneously contributing to several ecological services like air purification and water recycling [2,6,7,8,9]”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim2 of 5 sources checked
    • cites [2] Llorente, B., Williams, T., and Goold, H. (2018). The multiplanetary future of plant synthetic biology. Genes, 9. source
    • cites [6] Loader, 1999, Direct recycling of human hygiene water into hydroponic plant growth systems, Life Support Biosph. Sci.

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [7] Paradiso, 2014, Soilless cultivation of soybean for Bioregenerative Life Support Systems: A literature review and the experience of the MEL i SSA P roject–F ood characterisation P hase I, Plant Biol. source
    • cites [8] Fu, 2016, How to establish a Bioregenerative Life Support System for long-term crewed missions to the Moon or Mars, Astrobiology source
    • cites [9] El-Nakhel, C., Giordano, M., Pannico, A., Carillo, P., Fusco, G.M., Pascale, S.D., and Rouphael, Y. (2019). Cultivar-specific performance and qualitative descriptors for butterhead Salanova lettuce produced in closed soilless cultivation as a candidate salad crop for human Life Support in Space. Life, 9. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    A better comprehension of in situ resources utilization (ISRU) is crucial.

    “a better comprehension of in situ resources utilization (ISRU) is crucial [1,5]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [1] Menezes, 2015, Towards synthetic biological approaches to resource utilization on space missions, J. R. Soc. Interface source
    • cites [5] Benaroya, 2013, Special issue: In situ resource utilization, J. Aerospace Eng. source

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Periodical delivery of inputs to Mars is economically and operatively unfeasible.

    “without even considering that this periodical delivery of inputs is also economically and operatively unfeasible [3,4]”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [3] Meyen, 2016, Thermodynamic model of Mars oxygen ISRU experiment (MOXIE), Acta Astronaut. source
    • cites [4] Verseux, 2016, Sustainable life support on Mars–the potential roles of cyanobacteria, Int. J. Astrobiol. source

      The Introduction (page unavailable) says that sending all needed resources from Earth does not seem financially sustainable, supporting the economic part of the claim for long-term Mars bases. It also describes resupply as a challenge, but does not establish that periodic deliveries are operationally unfeasible; Future research needs (page unavailable) treats resupply from Earth as an option to compare across mission scenarios. (LLM, conf=0.84)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Premisereasoning

    Self-sustenance is key for the success of future colonies.

    “Self-sustenance is key for the success of future colonies”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [1] Menezes, 2015, Towards synthetic biological approaches to resource utilization on space missions, J. R. Soc. Interface source

      The Introduction links technologies that use resources at a mission’s destination to lower costs, reduce risks and improve the probability of mission success. The Conclusion and future work describes producing supplies on lunar and Martian missions, including a pharmaceutical that would provide independence from resupply. These passages support the value of greater self-sufficiency for missions, but do not establish that self-sustenance is key to the success of future colonies. (LLM, conf=0.82)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [5] Benaroya, 2013, Special issue: In situ resource utilization, J. Aerospace Eng. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    The nutritional value of lettuce depends on the cultivar and its interaction with the environment.

    “the nutritional value of lettuce depends on the cultivar and its interaction with the environment [19,20,21]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [19] Rouphael, 2017, Genotypic variation in nutritional and antioxidant profile among iceberg lettuce cultivars, Acta Sci. Pol.-Hortoru. source
    • cites [20] Kim, D.E., Shang, X., Assefa, A.D., Keum, Y.S., and Saini, R.K. (2018). Metabolite profiling of green, green/red, and red lettuce cultivars: Variation in health beneficial compounds and antioxidant potential. Food Res. Int., 361–370. source
    • cites [21] Giordano, M., El-Nakhel, C., Pannico, A., Kyriacou, M.C., Stazi, S.R., De Pascale, S., and Rouphael, Y. (2019). Iron biofortification of red and green pigmented lettuce in closed soilless cultivation impacts crop performance and modulates mineral and bioactive composition. Agronomy, 9. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Mars colonization can solely be realized via adaptation of bioregenerative life support systems without umbilical support from Earth, using in situ resources as much as possible and avoiding additional reload due to technical and economic constraints.

    “Mars colonization can solely be realized via the adaptation of a bioregenerative life support systems (BLSSs) without umbilical support from Earth [38], by using in situ resources as much as possible and avoiding any additional reload due to technical and economic constraints [4,39].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim2 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [38] Rouphael, 2019, Reducing energy requirements in future Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSSs): Performance and bioactive composition of diverse lettuce genotypes grown under optimal and suboptimal light conditions, Front. Plant Sci. source
    • cites [4] Verseux, 2016, Sustainable life support on Mars–the potential roles of cyanobacteria, Int. J. Astrobiol. source

      Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [39] Emmerich, 2006, Plant-growth lighting for space life support: A review, Gravit. Space Biol.

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    The formation and concentration of phenols is species and stressor dependent.

    “whose formation and concentration is species and stressor dependent [22,24]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [22] 1999, Nutritional genomics: Manipulating plant micronutrients to improve human health, Science source
    • cites [24] Kennedy, 2011, Herbal extracts and phytochemicals: Plant secondary metabolites and the enhancement of human brain function, Adv. Nutr. source

      The Phenolics section says phenolic compounds are induced by bacterial or fungal attack, supporting stressor-dependent formation. It does not establish that their formation or concentration varies by plant species, or that concentration varies by stressor. (LLM, conf=0.84)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Very low amounts of Mars organic matter were detected by the current survey from landers and rovers.

    “As for the presence of Mars organic matter, very low amounts were detected by the current survey from landers and rovers [33].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [33] Eigenbrode, 2018, Organic matter preserved in 3-billion-year-old mudstones at Gale crater, Mars, Science source

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    The results confirm Rouphael et al.'s observations about better yield performance and higher ACO2 and WUEi of red Salanova compared to green Salanova.

    “Our results confirm Rouphael et al.’s [38] observations about the better yield performance and higher ACO2 and WUEi of red Salanova in comparison to green Salanova.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [38] Rouphael, 2019, Reducing energy requirements in future Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSSs): Performance and bioactive composition of diverse lettuce genotypes grown under optimal and suboptimal light conditions, Front. Plant Sci. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    The Mars surface is composed primarily of mafic rocks, usually basalts.

    “The Mars surface is composed primarily of mafic rocks, usually basalts [28,29,30,31]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim3 of 4 sources checked
    • cites [28] McCollom, 2013, Experimental study of acid sulfate alteration of basalt and implications for sulfate deposits on Mars, J. Geophys. Res. Planets source

      Section 6, paragraph [99] says basaltic volcanism has been widespread on Mars and discusses basalts at the surface. That supports basalt as a widespread surface rock, but the passage does not establish that mafic rocks make up most of the Martian surface. (LLM, conf=0.82)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [29] Zeng, X., Li, X., Wang, S., Li, S., Spring, N., Tang, H., Li, Y., and Feng, J. (2015). JMSS-1: A new Martian soil simulant. Earth Planets Space, 67. source

      The ‘Target simulant and raw material selection’ section says the Martian surface is dominated by basaltic soil, presumed to derive largely from basalts and probably basaltic andesites. It explicitly distinguishes loose soil from rocks and bedrock, so it supports the surface’s predominantly basaltic character but not the claim that the surface is composed primarily of mafic rocks. (LLM, conf=0.84)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites [30] Filiberto, 2017, Geochemistry of Martian basalts with constraints on magma genesis, Chem. Geol. source
    • cites [31] Cannon, 2019, Mars global simulant MGS-1: A rocknest-based open standard for basaltic martian regolith simulants, Icarus source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Nutritional chemical eustress such as moderate salinity and nutrient deficiency can positively trigger physiological responses and improve vegetables' nutritional value.

    “nutritional chemical eustress like moderate salinity and nutrient deficiency can positively trigger physiological responses, improving vegetables’ nutritional value [25,26,27]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [25] Rouphael, 2018, Enhancing quality of fresh vegetables through salinity eustress and biofortification applications facilitated by soilless cultivation, Front. Plant Sci. source
    • cites [26] Rouphael, 2018, Improving vegetable quality in controlled environments, Sci. Hortic. source
    • cites [27] Pannico, 2019, Macronutrient deprivation eustress elicits differential secondary metabolites in red and green-pigmented butterhead lettuce grown in a closed soilless system, J. Sci. Food Agric. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    A dense bioactive profile has been proven for red Salanova in previous studies.

    “Such dense bioactive profile was as well proven for red Salanova in previous studies [9,21,27,38,51].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim3 of 5 sources checked
    • cites [9] El-Nakhel, C., Giordano, M., Pannico, A., Carillo, P., Fusco, G.M., Pascale, S.D., and Rouphael, Y. (2019). Cultivar-specific performance and qualitative descriptors for butterhead Salanova lettuce produced in closed soilless cultivation as a candidate salad crop for human Life Support in Space. Life, 9. source
    • cites [21] Giordano, M., El-Nakhel, C., Pannico, A., Kyriacou, M.C., Stazi, S.R., De Pascale, S., and Rouphael, Y. (2019). Iron biofortification of red and green pigmented lettuce in closed soilless cultivation impacts crop performance and modulates mineral and bioactive composition. Agronomy, 9. source
    • cites [27] Pannico, 2019, Macronutrient deprivation eustress elicits differential secondary metabolites in red and green-pigmented butterhead lettuce grown in a closed soilless system, J. Sci. Food Agric. source
    • cites [38] Rouphael, 2019, Reducing energy requirements in future Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSSs): Performance and bioactive composition of diverse lettuce genotypes grown under optimal and suboptimal light conditions, Front. Plant Sci. source
    • cites [51] Petropoulos, 2020, The bioactive profile of lettuce produced in a closed soilless system as configured by combinatorial effects of genotype and macrocation supply composition, Food Chem. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Genotype and extrinsic stressors affect the formation of bioactive compounds.

    “as declared by Rapisarda et al. [67] and Rouphael et al. [68], it is the genotype and the extrinsic stressors that affect the formation of bioactive compounds”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [67] Rapisarda, 1999, Antioxidant effectiveness as influenced by phenolic content of fresh orange juices, J. Agric. Food Chem. source
    • cites [68] Rouphael, 2012, Nutrient solution concentration affects growth, mineral composition, phenolic acids, and flavonoids in leaves of artichoke and cardoon, HortScience source

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Feruloyl tartaric acid content in red Salanova was not influenced by mixture (≈978 μg g−1 dw), while in green the highest content was in 100% compost (1099 μg g−1 dw).

    “An opposite trend was noted for feruloyl tartaric acid, whose content in red Salanova was not influenced by the mixture (≈ 978 μg g−1 dw), while, in the green cultivar, the highest content was registered in 100% compost (1099 μg g−1 dw).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Chlorogenic acid content was not influenced by substrate in green Salanova (≈330 μg g−1 dw), while it was highest in 0:100 and 30:70 for red Salanova (≈4780.5 μg g−1 dw) and decreased by 37% in 100% simulant.

    “Chlorogenic acid content was not influenced by the substrate mixture in green Salanova (≈ 330 μg g−1 dw), while it was the highest in 0:100 and 30:70 mixtures for red Salanova (≈ 4780.5 μg g−1 dw) and decreased by 37% in 100% simulant.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The 0:100 and 70:30 mixtures showed intermediate fresh yield with different percentage reductions between the two cultivars compared to the highest fresh weight.

    “The other two substrate mixtures (0:100 and 70:30) showed intermediate fresh yield with a different percentage reduction between the two cultivars in comparison to the highest fresh weight.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Total chlorophyll showed the same trend as β-carotene, being only influenced by the mean effect of cultivar, with red registering a significantly higher content.

    “total chlorophyll showed the same trend as β-carotene, only being influenced by the mean effect of the cultivar, with the red cultivar registering a significantly higher content”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Caffeoyl feruloyl quinic acid and rutin were highest in 100% compost for green (577 and 884 μg g−1 dw, respectively) and red (692 and 577 μg g−1 dw, respectively).

    “Caffeoyl feruloyl quinic acid and rutin registered the highest content in 100% compost for the green cultivar (577 and 884 μg g−1 dw, respectively) and for the red cultivar (692 and 577 μg g−1 dw, respectively”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Stomatal resistance was highest in 100:0 (6.43 m2 s mol−1) for green Salanova and in 0:100 and 30:70 (7.63 and 7.48 m2 s mol−1, respectively) for red Salanova.

    “Stomatal resistance (rs) was the highest in 100:0 (6.43 m2 s mol−1) for green Salanova and in 0:100 and 30:70 (7.63 and 7.48 m2 s mol−1, respectively) for red Salanova”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    In the 30:70 mixture, green Salanova registered the lowest total ascorbic acid value (3.0 mg AA 100 g−1 fw) and red Salanova showed the highest value (around 87.1 mg AA 100 g−1 fw) along with 100% regolith.

    “in the 30:70 mixture, green and red cultivars behaved differently, where green Salanova registered the lowest value of 3.0 mg AA 100 g−1 fw and red Salanova showed the highest value of around 87.1 mg AA 100 g−1 fw along with 100% regolith”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The cultivar × substrate interaction was significant only for root Mg concentration, reaching the highest value of 4.3 g kg−1 dw in 100:0 for green Salanova, while for red all mixtures except 0:100 had insignificantly different values with an approximate mean of 3.2 g kg−1 dw.

    “the interaction between C × S was significant (P ≤ 0.05) only for the root Mg concentration, reaching the highest value of 4.3 g kg−1 dw in 100:0 (100% simulant) for green Salanova, whereas, for the red cultivar, the values of all mixtures, except for 0:100 (100% compost), had insignificantly different values, with an approximate mean of 3.2 g kg−1 dw”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Quercetin-malonyl-glucoside was most concentrated in 100% compost (1335 μg g−1 dw), around 63.8% higher than the average of the other three mixtures.

    “this phenolic compound was the most concentrated in 100% compost (1335 μg g−1 dw), around 63.8% higher than the average registered in the other three mixtures”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Total polyphenols were highly rich in red Salanova (around 123% more than green) and positively modulated with increasing compost percentage, while they remained statistically equal in green Salanova among all four mixtures.

    “As for total polyphenols, these were also highly rich in red Salanova (around 123% more than in the green cultivar) and positively modulated with the increase in the compost percentage in the mixture, while they remained statistically equal in green Salanova among all four mixtures.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Both butterhead lettuce cultivars had the highest fresh yield in the 30:70 simulant:compost mixture, with 61.2 and 68.0 g plant−1 fresh weight for green and red Salanova, respectively.

    “Both butterhead lettuce cultivars had the highest fresh yield in the 30:70 simulant:compost mixture, registering 61.2 and 68.0 g plant−1 fresh weight (fw) for green and red Salanova, respectively”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Transpiration rate was highest in the 30:70 mixture (2.6 mol H2O m−2 s−1) and lowest in both 70:30 and 100:0, with 0:100 insignificantly different in between the three mixtures.

    “the transpiration rate (E) was the highest in the 30:70 mixture (2.6 mol H2O m−2 s−1) and the lowest in both 70:30 and 100:0, with 0:100 being insignificantly different in between the three mixtures”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Green Salanova total polyphenol content did not vary statistically among mixtures, while red Salanova total polyphenol content decreased gradually with increasing simulant rate.

    “green Salanova total polyphenol content did not vary statistically among the different mixtures, while red Salanova total polyphenol content decreased gradually with the simulant rate increase”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Green and red Salanova showed the highest net CO2 assimilation rate in the 30:70 mixture (11.3 and 14.0 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1, respectively) and the lowest values in 100:0 (33 and 32% lower, respectively).

    “green and red Salanova showed the highest values in the 30:70 mixture (11.3 and 14.0 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1, respectively) and the lowest values in 100:0 (33 and 32% lower, respectively)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    In 100% simulant, Salanova shoots exhibited the highest concentration of Ca, which increased gradually with the rise in simulant rate.

    “In the same substrate, Salanova shoots exhibited the highest concentration of Ca, which increased gradually with the rise in the simulant rate in the substrate”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Intrinsic water use efficiency was highest in 30:70 and 70:30 for green Salanova and in 30:70 for red Salanova, and lowest in 0:100 and 100:0 for green Salanova and in 70:30 and 100:0 for red Salanova.

    “the highest values were noted in 30:70 and 70:30 for green Salanova and in 30:70 for red Salanova, while the lowest values were noted in 0:100 and 100:0 for green Salanova and in 70:30 and 100:0 for red Salanova”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    In 100% simulant, shoot and root mineral composition was characterized by the lowest values of nitrate (only shoot), PO4, K and SO4, and by the highest accumulation of Mg and Na.

    “In 100% simulant, shoot and root mineral composition was characterized by the lowest values of nitrate (only shoot), PO4, K and SO4, and by the highest accumulation of Mg and Na.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Shoot and root mineral contents showed essentially no significant differences between cultivars and no interaction between cultivar and substrate.

    “The analysis of shoot and root mineral contents on a dry weight basis (Table 1) showed essentially no significant differences between cultivars and no interaction between the two factors C × S.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Red Salanova had a quercetin-malonyl-glucoside value of 1276 μg g−1 dw, around 52% higher than green Salanova.

    “red Salanova showing a value of 1276 μg g−1 dw, around 52% higher than that of green Salanova”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Lutein and β-carotene did not exhibit interaction between cultivar and substrate; both were significantly more concentrated in the red cultivar, and β-carotene was only influenced by the mean effect of cultivar.

    “lutein and β-carotene did not exhibit any interaction between the two factors C × S, with both being significantly more concentrated in the red cultivar, and β-carotene being only influenced by the mean effect of the cultivar”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Lutein was significantly highest in the 70:30 mixture and lowest in 100% simulant (31.7% less).

    “lutein was, significantly, the highest in the 70:30 mixture and the lowest in 100% simulant (31.7% less)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The most abundant polyphenols in both cultivars were feruloyl tartaric acid, rutin, quercetin-malonyl-glucoside, caffeoyl feruloyl quinic acid, coumaroyl quinic acid and chlorogenic acid, but in different concentrations.

    “The most abundant polyphenols in both cultivars were feruloyl tartaric acid, rutin, quercetin–malonyl–glucoside, caffeoyl feruloyl quinic acid, coumaroyl quinic acid and chlorogenic acid, but in different concentrations.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Red Salanova lettuce had higher yield, photosynthetic activity, and bioactive compounds than green Salanova lettuce.

    “Red Salanova presented a higher yield, photosynthetic activity and bioactive compounds in comparison to its green counterpart.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Lettuce leaves are rich in antioxidant compounds and macro- and micronutrients that can support the human diet.

    “lettuce leaves are rich in antioxidant compounds and in macro- and micronutrients, which can support the human diet as part of our daily intake [17,18]”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [17] Hoff, J.E., Howe, J.M., and Mitchell, C.A. (1982). Nutritional and Cultural Aspects of Plant Species Selection for a Controlled Ecological Life Support System, Purdue University. Doc ID: 19820016109.

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [18] Baslam, 2013, Nutritional quality of outer and inner leaves of green and red pigmented lettuces (Lactuca sativa L.) consumed as salads, Sci. Hortic. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Plants can be a source of health-promoting secondary metabolites such as phenols.

    “plants can be a source of health, promoting secondary metabolites such as phenols [22,23]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [22] 1999, Nutritional genomics: Manipulating plant micronutrients to improve human health, Science source
    • cites [23] Kim, 2016, Nutritional value, bioactive compounds and health benefits of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), J. Food Compos. Anal. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisereasoning

    Lettuce is well ranked among candidate crops for food production in space.

    “Among various potential candidate species (cereals, vegetables and tubers), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is well ranked.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    MMS-1 lacks organic matter, N, P and S.

    “it lacks organic matter, N, P and S”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Amendment with green compost concomitantly resolves the disposal issue of organic effluents in future manned missions to Mars.

    “concomitantly resolving the disposal issue of organic effluents in future manned missions to Mars”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisenone given

    Basaltic rocks and sediments are composed of varying amounts of olivine, pyroxene, plagioclase, and vitric and lithic fragments.

    “Basaltic rocks and sediments are composed of varying amounts of olivine, pyroxene, plagioclase, and vitric and lithic fragments.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    MMS-1 is a coarse-textured alkaline mineral substrate mainly composed of plagioclase and amorphous material with accessory minerals including zeolite, hematite and smectite clays.

    “They found that MMS-1 is a coarse-textured alkaline mineral substrate mainly composed of plagioclase and amorphous material with accessory minerals, including zeolite, hematite and smectite clays.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Total ascorbic acid was highest in the 30:70 mixture and 100% simulant for red Salanova, probably because the lower chemical and biological fertility of the two simulant-rich substrates caused greater oxidative stress in the plants.

    “was the highest in the 30:70 mixture and 100% simulant for this cultivar, probably because the lower chemical and biological fertility of the two simulant-rich substrates caused a greater oxidative stress in the plants”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The best performance was observed in lettuce grown in the three mixtures containing compost that enhanced water and nutrient availability, especially the 30:70 mixture.

    “the best performance was observed in lettuce grown in the three mixtures containing compost that enhanced water and nutrient availability, especially in the mixture with 70% compost (30:70)”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The yield response can be interpreted by the highest ACO2 and WUEi for both cultivars and low rs for green Salanova in the 30:70 mixture, alongside the lowest ACO2 and WUEi for both cultivars and higher rs for green in 100% simulant.

    “such a yield response can be interpreted by the highest ACO2 and WUEi for both cultivars and a low rs for green Salanova observed in the 30:70 mixture, alongside the lowest ACO2 and WUEi for both cultivars and a higher rs for the green cultivar in 100% simulant”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    MMS-1 amended with compost had enhanced physical and hydraulic properties compared to pure simulant, which may have positively influenced crop performance.

    “Besides a higher content of nutrient, MMS-1 amended with compost also had enhanced physical (bulk density and pore-size distribution) and hydraulic (water holding capacity and retention) properties compared to the pure simulant, which may have positively influenced the crop performance [37].”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Although MMS-1 is rich in Al oxides, Salanova plants did not show Al phytotoxic effect, since Al is poorly soluble and poorly bioavailable in sub-alkaline growth substrates, while it exerts phytotoxicity at highly acidic pHs.

    “although MMS-1 was found to be very rich in Al oxides [37], Salanova plants did not show any Al phytotoxic effect, since this element is poorly soluble and poorly bioavailable in sub-alkaline growth substrates such as those used in the experiment, whilst it exerts phytotoxicity at highly acidic pHs, with soluble cations undergoing acid hydrolysis [50]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source
    • cites [50] Kabata-Pendias, A. (2011). Trace Elements in Soils and Plants, CRC Press—Taylor & Francis Group. [4th ed.]. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    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]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [45] Porterfield, 2002, The biophysical limitations in physiological transport and exchange in plants grown in microgravity, J. Plant Growth Regul. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Caporale et al. supposed that the consistent bioavailable pool of Na in MMS-1, together with alkaline pH and absence of biological fertility, could have induced salt stress in plants grown in pure simulant substrate.

    “Caporale et al. [37] supposed that the consistent bioavailable pool of Na in MMS-1, together with an alkaline pH and the absence of biological fertility, could have induced a salt stress in plants grown in pure simulant substrate.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    On Mars, these minerals are accompanied by variable amounts of iron oxides and sulfates.

    “On Mars, these minerals are accompanied by variable amounts of iron oxides and sulfates [32]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [32] Benison, 2008, Physical sedimentology experiments with sulfuric acid solutions: Implications for Mars?, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    A superior yield with the addition of compost to JSC Mars-1 simulant was noticed for Swiss chard.

    “Similarly, a superior yield with the addition of compost to JSC Mars-1 simulant was noticed for Swiss chard [34].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [34] Gilrain, M.R., Hogan, J.A., Cowan, R.M., Finstein, M.S., and Logendra, L.S. (1999). Preliminary study of greenhouse grown Swiss chard in mixtures of compost and Mars regolith simulant. SAE Tech. Pap. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    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]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [45] Porterfield, 2002, The biophysical limitations in physiological transport and exchange in plants grown in microgravity, J. Plant Growth Regul. source

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Only the 30:70 mixture produced a proper accumulation of NO3, PO4 and K in Salanova shoots, associated with good shoot-root repartition, which explains the higher yield of green and red Salanova in this mixture.

    “Only the 30:70 mixture produced a proper accumulation of NO3, PO4 and K in Salanova shoots, associated with a good repartition between shoots and roots, which explains the higher yield of green and red Salanova obtained in this mixture.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Compost addition to the simulant proportionally increased the amount of water retained by the substrate and enhanced more macropore and micropore domains.

    “the compost addition to the simulant proportionally increased the amount of water retained by the substrate and enhanced more macropore and micropore domains [37]”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Ca, Mg and Na contents showed lower accumulation in the presence of compost in the mixtures, which might be due to the cation exchange capacity of compost regulating release of elements from substrates to plants.

    “Ca, Mg and Na contents showed a lower accumulation in the presence of compost in the mixtures, which might be due to the cation exchange capacity of the compost regulating the release of the elements from the substrates to the plants.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Application of organic matter has been shown to increase the concentration of chlorophylls a and b.

    “The application of organic matter had been shown to increase the concentration of chlorophylls a and b [40]”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [40] Caporale, 2018, May humic acids or mineral fertilisation mitigate arsenic mobility and availability to carrot plants (Daucus carota L.) in a volcanic soil polluted by as from irrigation water?, Chemosphere source

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Organic matter, N, P and S can be supplied through compost amendment, which enhances the main physical, chemical and hydraulic properties of the plant growth substrate.

    “which can be only supplied through a compost amendment, which, in turn, enhances the main physical, chemical and hydraulic properties of the plant growth substrate”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    A diverse modulation pattern of polyphenols in both cultivars was also noted in El-Nakhel et al.'s work.

    “Such a diverse modulation pattern of polyphenols in both cultivars was also noted in El-Nakhel et al.’s [27] work”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [27] Pannico, 2019, Macronutrient deprivation eustress elicits differential secondary metabolites in red and green-pigmented butterhead lettuce grown in a closed soilless system, J. Sci. Food Agric. source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Neocleous et al. showed that red "baby" lettuce exhibited better antioxidant activity compared to green "baby" lettuce when subjected to saline stress.

    “the study of Neocleous et al. [66] showed that red “baby” lettuce exhibited better antioxidant activity in comparison to green “baby” lettuce when subjected to saline stress”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [66] Neocleous, 2014, Assessing the salinity effects on mineral composition and nutritional quality of green and red ‘Baby’ lettuce, J. Food Qual. source

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Addition of organic residues produced in situ to Mars regolith can improve its physical, chemical and hydraulic attributes and evoke better quality and higher yield from the produced vegetables.

    “The physical, chemical and hydraulic attributes of this substrate, also known as Mars soil, can be improved by the addition of organic residues produced in situ, which can evoke a better quality and higher yield from the produced vegetables.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The compost made from vegetal waste is representative of organic residues that could be produced in situ in space.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    The mineralogical and physico-chemical properties of the four MMS-1:compost mixtures are as reported in Caporale et al. [37].

    “The mineralogical and physico-chemical properties of both mineral and organic substrates of the four mixtures are reported in Caporale et al.’s [37] study.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [37] Caporale, 2020, Geo-mineralogical characterisation of Mars simulant MMS-1 and appraisal of substrate physico-chemical properties and crop performance obtained with variable green compost amendment rates, Sci. Total Environ. source

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data

    The experiment used a randomized complete-block design with a factorial combination of four substrate mixtures and two lettuce cultivars, eight treatments, three replicates, and 24 experimental units of seven plants each.

    “A factorial combination of four different substrate mixtures and two lettuce cultivars with different pigmentations accounted for eight treatments replicated three times. A randomized complete-block design was adopted for this experiment, with a total of 24 experimental units of seven plants each (a total of 168 plants).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The 70:30 mixture represents a more realistic scenario considering sustainable use of compost as a limited resource in space farming, while still accepting a slight significant decline in yield and quality compared to the 30:70 mixture.

    “the 70:30 mixture represents a more realistic scenario when taking into consideration the sustainable use of compost as a limited resource in space farming, while still accepting a slight significant decline in yield and quality in comparison to the 30:70 mixture”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Compost is a limited resource in space farming.
66 of 66

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The vegetal compost used in the experiment is representative of organic waste produced during Mars missions.

    “amended with a vegetal compost, to simulate the organic waste produced during journeys on Mars”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    MMS-1 adequately represents Mars regolith as an in situ substrate for plant cultivation.

    “using the Mojave Mars simulant (MMS-1) as a hypothetic in situ substrate resource”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Compost is a limited resource in space farming.

    “the sustainable use of compost as a limited resource in space farming”
    “taking into consideration the sustainable use of compost as a limited resource in space farming”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Plants grown in MMS-1 simulant respond similarly to plants grown in actual Mars regolith.

    “the response of plants to a very extreme environment, such as that of the Mars simulant”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The Mojave Mars simulant MMS-1 is representative of actual Mars regolith.

    “The Mojave Mars simulant (MMS-1) was bought from The Martian Garden (Austin, Texas, USA)”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The compost made from vegetal waste is representative of organic residues that could be produced in situ in space.

    “the compost made from vegetal waste was bought from GARDEA (Villafranca di Verona, Verona, Italy)”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Lettuce is representative of vegetables for space cultivation.

    “Green and red Salanova® (Rijk Zwaan, Der Lier, The Netherlands) were the chosen butterhead lettuce cultivars”
7 of 7

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Previous studies by the authors on Martian and Lunar regolith simulants showed that both pure regoliths are unsuitable to sustain plant growth even with fertigation.

    “Results revealed that both pure regoliths are unsuitable to sustain the plant growth, even in the presence of fertigation”

    From Fava bean plant performance and fertility dynamics in Mars regolith simulant-based substrates for space farming (2025) · cites this paper as Duri et al., 2020

    The Conclusions state that cultivation on 100% Mars simulant was feasible, contrary to the claim that pure regolith could not sustain growth. Materials and Methods confirms that the plants, including those in pure simulant, were fertigated. This paper does not test lunar simulant. (LLM, conf=0.89)

    Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • MMS-1 is an alkaline (pH 8.86) and coarse textured substrate, lacking adequate water holding capacity and occurrence of fine particles exerting colloidal properties.

    “It is an alkaline (pH 8.86) and coarse textured substrate, lacking adequate water holding capacity and occurrence of fine particles exerting colloidal properties.”

    From Green compost amendment improves potato plant performance on Mars regolith simulant as substrate for cultivation in space (2023) · cites this paper as Duri et al. 2020

    The Discussion describes MMS-1 as coarse-textured and alkaline, and says compost improved its water-holding capacity relative to pure simulant. Our copy does not give pH 8.86 or say that MMS-1 lacks fine particles with colloidal properties. The cited passages have no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The red Salanova lettuce grown in the 30:70 simulant:compost mixture showed the best crop performance, photosynthetic activity, intrinsic water use efficiency, and quality traits (mineral, carotenoid, and phenolic contents).

    “The red Salanova ® lettuce grown in the 30:70 mixture showed the best crop performance, photosynthetic activity, intrinsic water use efficiency, and quality traits (mineral, carotenoid, and phenolic contents).”

    From The Potential for Lunar and Martian Regolith Simulants to Sustain Plant Growth: A Multidisciplinary Overview (2022) · cites this paper as Duri et al., 2020

    Results §2.1 reports that red Salanova in the 30:70 simulant:compost mixture had the highest fresh yield, net CO₂ assimilation and intrinsic water-use efficiency. But the claim that this mixture also had the best mineral, carotenoid and phenolic contents overstates the findings: Results §2.3 places the highest lutein content in the 70:30 mixture, while Results §§2.2 and 2.4 show that mineral and phenolic contents varied by nutrient or compound, with some highest in 100% compost. (LLM, conf=0.90)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Organic amendment lowered the pH of the alkaline simulant, enhanced its cation exchange capacity, organic C and N levels, and the availability of macro- and micronutrients.

    “It also lowered the pH of the alkaline simulant, enhanced its cation exchange capacity, organic C and N levels, and the availability of macro-and micronutrients.”

    From The Potential for Lunar and Martian Regolith Simulants to Sustain Plant Growth: A Multidisciplinary Overview (2022) · cites this paper as Duri et al., 2020

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports greater availability of several nutrients in compost-rich substrates and mentions the cation exchange capacity of compost. It does not report that amendment lowered the simulant’s pH or increased the substrate’s cation exchange capacity, organic C, or N levels; nor does it establish increased availability of micronutrients as a group. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Addition of organic residues increased yields for Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata in MMS.

    “Moreover, addition of organic residues increased yields for Lactuca sativa L. var.capitata in MMS [21].”

    From Perchlorate and Agriculture on Mars (2021) · cites this paper as [21]

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

1 of the 74 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Tawfik, 2016, Effect of soil amendments on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield and nutritional status in sandy calcareous saline soil, Int. J. ChemTech Res., 9, 143
  2. Thatikunta, 2012, Effect of organic manures on SCMR, protein content and quality in Maize, Ecol. Environ. Conserv., 18, 51
  3. Taghipour, 2017, The effect of micronutrients on antioxidant properties of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) under humic acid using condition, YYU J. Agric. Sci., 27, 589
  4. Saikia, 2011, Antioxidant activity, phenol and flavonoid content of A.racemosus Willd. a medicinal plant grown using different organic manures, Res. J. Pharm. Biol. Chem. Sci., 2, 457

Cited by

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Related

Authors
Duri, L. G., El-Nakhel, C., Caporale, A. G., Ciriello, M., Graziani, G., Pannico, A., Palladino, M., Ritieni, A., De Pascale, S., Vingiani, S., Adamo, P., & Rouphael, Y.
Affiliations
  • University of Naples Federico II (IT)
  • Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
  • UNESCO (FR)
Corresponding author
  • Caporale, Antonio G.
  • Rouphael, Youssef
ORCID
Venue
Plants
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2020-05-14
Volume
9
Issue
5
Pages
628
ISSN
2223-7747 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/plants9050628
PMC
PMC7285329
OpenAlex
W3024224875
Semantic Scholar
88817e9dc2a3363d7f1e2d2b11041d520151f09a
Cited by
47
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1
FWCI
3.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Plants (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Plant Growth and Agriculture Techniques
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Growth and nutrition in plants
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Innovations in Aquaponics and Hydroponics Systems
Keywords
compost, in-situ resource utilization, space agriculture, lettuce, photosynthetic activity, water use efficiency, phenolic content, leafy vegetable production, nutritional value

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-11-03.

Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-11-03.

Cited sources are checked by gpt-6-sol.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

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