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Cited by 4Planetary Science and ExplorationSoil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsPlant Growth and Agriculture Techniques

Evidence of potential organo-mineral interactions during the first stage of mars terraforming

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Giannetta, Beatrice, Caporale, Antonio G., Olivera de Souza, Danilo, Adamo, Paola, Zaccone, Claudio·2023·Soil Systems
DOI 10.3390/soilsystems7040092
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Abstract

Future space missions to Mars will depend on the development of bioregenerative life support systems. Mars regolith contains most of the nutrients needed for plant growth, but not organic matter (OM). Although Mars simulants have been deeply characterized and tested as growing media, no data are available about their possible modification occurring during terraforming, including the interaction of exogeneous OM with iron (Fe) oxides, particularly abundant in Mars regolith. The aim of this study was to investigate the mineral transformation and the OM evolution occurring in the early stages of the terraforming process. Potato was grown for 99 days on Mojave Mars Simulant MMS-1, alone (R100) and mixed with a compost 70:30 v:v (R70C30), and on a fluvial sand, alone (S100) and mixed with compost (S70C30), for comparison. Bulk (BK) and potato tubero/rhizo-sphere (RH) soils were fractionated to obtain particulate OM (POM) and mineral-associated OM (MAOM). Bulk samples and corresponding fractions were characterized for total nitrogen and organic carbon (C) and analyzed by Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Organic C increased by 10 and 25 times in S70C30 and R70C30, respectively, compared to S100 and R100. Most of the organic C accumulated in the POM fraction of both growing substrates, while its content in the MAOM was 3 times higher in R70C30 than in S70C30. No significant differences between BK and RH were found. Finally, ferrihydrite mediated exogenous OM stabilization in regolith-based substrates, while Fe(III)-OM complexes were detected exclusively in sand-based growing media. Understanding mechanisms and testing potential sustainable practices for creating Mars regolith similar to terrestrial soil will be fundamental to sustain food crop production on Mars.

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  • Ferrihydrite mediated exogenous organic matter stabilization in the regolith-based amended substrate (R70C30), while Fe(III)-organic matter complexes formed only in the sand-based growing medium (S70C30).

    “these authors found that ferrihydrite mediated exogenous organic matter stabilization in the regolith-based amended substrate (R70C30), while they observed the formation of Fe(III)-organic matter complexes only in the sand-based growing medium (S70C30).”

    From Fava bean plant performance and fertility dynamics in Mars regolith simulant-based substrates for space farming (2025) · cites this paper as Giannetta et al (2023)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Giannetta, B., Caporale, A. G., Olivera de Souza, D., Adamo, P., & Zaccone, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Verona (IT)
  • University of Naples Federico II (IT)
  • ELETTRA Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., S.S. 14 Km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy
Corresponding author
Zaccone, Claudio
ORCID
Venue
Soil Systems
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2023-10-20
Volume
7
Issue
4
Pages
92
ISSN
2571-8789 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/soilsystems7040092
OpenAlex
W4387809404
Cited by
4
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2
FWCI
0.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Soil Systems (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Italian Space Agency (ASI) (CUP F74I16000000005)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Plant Growth and Agriculture Techniques
Keywords
Mars terraforming, Martian regolith, organic matter stabilization, iron oxide, ferrihydrite, mineral-associated organic matter, particulate organic matter, compost, potato growth, bioregenerative life support, organic carbon, rhizosphere

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