First tomatoes, peas harvested from mock Martian farm | The Daily Star
Skip to main content
T
Sunday, April 2, 2023
The Daily Star
E-paper Today's News বাংলা
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Culture
  • Life & Living
  • Youth
  • Tech & Startup
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Shift
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Star Holiday
    • weekend read
  • More
    • Environment
    • NRB
    • Supplements
    • Law & Our Rights
  • E-paper
  • বাংলা
Search Epaper T
  • Today's News
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Culture
  • Life & Living
  • Youth
  • Tech & Startup
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Shift
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Star Holiday
    • weekend read
  • More
    • Environment
    • NRB
    • Supplements
    • Law & Our Rights

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
Science, Gadgets, and Tech

First tomatoes, peas harvested from mock Martian farm

Star Online Report
Thu Mar 10, 2016 03:37 PM Last update on: Thu Mar 10, 2016 03:49 PM
Researchers at Wageningen University were recently able to harvest tomatoes, peas and other crops from soil simulating the soil of Mars. Photo by Wageningen University/Facebook.

The second round of the Martian farming experiment at Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands has proven more successful than the last.

According to UPI, researchers this week announced a bountiful harvest from soil designed to mimic the makeup of Martian soil.

For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.

Harvested crops included peas, tomatoes, garden rocket, rye, radish and garden cress reports UPI.com.

According to scientists, the lessons they learned in round one allowed for greater success during the second iteration of the experiment.

"We used trays instead of small pots and added organic material (fresh cut grass) to the Mars and moon soil simulant," researcher Wieger Wamelink said in a press release.

"This solved the problem we had with watering in the first experiment and also added manure to the soils."

Researchers said the Mars soil simulant generated biomass on par with the Earth control soil, and was equally productive when properly prepped and watered.

According to UPI, Scientists also tested soil made to simulate lunar soil. Moon soil simulant produced much less biomass and was only able to support spinach.

The growing experiments were conducted in glass containers and under tightly controlled conditions. Constant temperature, humidity and light conditions were made to mimic growing conditions on Earth.

"This is because we expect that first crop growth on Mars and moon will take place in underground rooms to protect the plants from the hostile environment including cosmic radiation," said Wamelink.

While the first two experiments focused on crop viability, the next will look at edibility and food safety. Because Martian soil contains heavy metals like lead, arsenic and mercury, researchers need to study toxin levels in harvested crops, reports UPI.com

 

Related topic:
MartianMartian farming experimentWageningen University and Research CentreMartian farmingTomatoesPeasMarsplanet
Apple Google
Click to comment

Comments

Comments Policy

Related News

Direct evidence of ancient Mars’s oxygen-rich atmosphere

Russia plans building a moon base by 2030

Evidence of ancient tsunamis on Mars

Nasa satellite spots ancient river on Mars

Nasa finds glass on Mars, could hold signs of life

৩ ঘণ্টা আগে|রাজনীতি

‘যারা সরকারের বিরুদ্ধে কথা বলতে শুরু করেছে, তাদের ধরে নিয়ে গেছে’

‘আগাম নির্বাচন করে জাতিকে বোকা বানিয়ে তারা আগের মতো নিজেদের নির্বাচিত ঘোষণা করবে।’

৪ ঘণ্টা আগে|অপরাধ ও বিচার

ধানখেতে গরু, বৃদ্ধ মালিকের কান কেটে ফেললেন প্রতিবেশীরা

The Daily Star
Journalism without fear or favour
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
© 2023 thedailystar.net | Powered by: RSI LAB
Copyright: Any unauthorized use or reproduction of The Daily Star content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.
X