Scientists are one step closer to growing crops on the moon after successfully growing chickpeas in simulated lunar soil. A study conducted by a research conducted by Texas A&M University Department of Soil & Crop Sciences Ph.D. candidate Jess Atkin revealed that the combination of lunar soil simulant, symbiotic fungi and vermicompost enables the reproduction of chickpea plants.
Lunar soil, also called regolith, is not suitable for plants due to the presence of metals, the absence of a microbiome and the inability of water to pass through the soil.
Arable land needs organic matter along with microorganisms, but the moon lacks both essential components. The researchers created a plant growth environment by combining arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with vermicompost.
Why did scientists choose chickpeas to grow?
Scientists chose chickpeas because they have high stress resistance, high protein content and the ability to attract beneficial microorganisms. Although leafy greens and radiation-resistant crops have been used in space crop studies, Atkin said chickpeas have special benefits for lunar agriculture.
The experiment proved that the more regolith, the less reproduction, but the quality of seeds produced was the same. The seeds are tested for their nutritional, protein and metal content.
The regolith, or lunar dirt, is shipped from a laboratory in Florida that replicates the dirt at the landing sites for the Artemis IV mission, scheduled for 2028. Atkin reported that the fungi took up residence throughout the regolith, demonstrating its potential to support a sustainable lunar habitat for several generations.
