Microbes Transform Lunar Regolith into Bio-Friendly Soil for Plant Growth
Scientists at the China Agricultural University in Beijing have made a breakthrough in lunar agriculture by uncovering the role of bacteria in making moon soil fertile. The researchers conducted experiments using simulated moon soil, also known as lunar regolith, and found that when treated with three specific species of bacteria, the soil produced plants with remarkable growth. The plants exhibited longer stems, extensive root systems, and denser clusters of leaves compared to plants grown in the same soil without the bacteria.
Bacteria Acidify Soil and Enhance Phosphorus Availability
The bacteria’s action was found to make the soil more acidic, thereby causing insoluble phosphate-containing minerals to dissolve and release phosphorus. This increase in phosphorus availability greatly contributed to the improved growth of the plants. Lead author of the study, Yitong Xia, emphasized the significance of these findings, stating that the microbes could potentially turn lunar regolith into a bio-friendly substrate for future plant cultivation in lunar greenhouses. The study was published in the journal Communications Biology.
Building on Previous Research
This recent study builds upon previous research conducted in the United States, where researchers successfully grew Arabidopsis thaliana, a flowering weed, using actual moon soil collected during NASA missions. However, the plants did not grow as vigorously in lunar soil compared to volcanic ash from Earth. This suggests that lunar soil requires assistance to become more fertile. The current research focused on Nicotiana benthamiana, a plant commonly used in scientific investigations.
Simulated Regolith and Bacteria Selection
To conduct their study, the researchers used simulated regolith due to the scarcity of genuine lunar soil on Earth. They created the simulated soil by using volcanic material from the Changbai mountains in China’s Jilin Province, ensuring it possessed similar chemical and physical properties to lunar regolith. Three species of bacteria—Bacillus mucilaginosus, Bacillus megaterium, and Pseudomonas fluorescens—were chosen for the study. While other bacteria were also tested, they did not yield the same beneficial effects as these three.
Future Implications for Lunar Agriculture
Considering the future potential of the moon for scientific research and economic opportunities, establishing manned lunar bases will be crucial. Researcher Yitong Xia highlights the importance of addressing the food, oxygen, and water requirements for crews stationed on the moon. The cultivation of plants in lunar greenhouses could help meet these needs sustainably. Plants, through the process of photosynthesis, generate oxygen as a byproduct. Xia proposes that their technique of microbial improvement can make lunar soil more fertile, thus enabling successful plant cultivation. This method offers a significant advantage over alternatives that rely on transporting soil from Earth or using hydroponic systems, which are costly and resource-intensive.
Xia concludes, “Our study achieved the same goal with much less consumption of carrying capability compared with other plans. This technique, which is a form of in-situ resource utilization, applies microbial improvement to the lunar soil, making it more fertile and capable of supporting plant growth.”