I'll grow marigolds on the moon, says scientist

By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Last Updated: 4:01pm BST 17/04/2008

Marigolds could be growing on the moon by around 2015, if an ambitious effort by scientists pays off.

In what marks an important step towards helping lunar colonists grow their own food, a Ukrainian team, working with the European Space Agency, ESA, has shown that marigolds can grow in crushed rock very like the lunar surface, with no need for plant food.

The research was presented at the European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna, by Dr Bernard Foing of ESA, director of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group, and father of the SMART-1 moon probe, who believes it is an important milestone because it does away with the need to bring bringing nutrients and soil from Earth.

He has worked with Natasha Kozyrovska and Iryna Zaetz from the Ukranian Academy of Sciences in Kiev, who planted marigolds in crushed anorthosite, a type of rock found on Earth which is very similar to lunar soil, called regolith.

They did not grow well until the team added different types of bacteria, which made them thrive; the bacteria appeared to leach elements from the rock that the plants needed, such as potassium.

Even better, bacteria are able to withstand extremely tough conditions, so would be an ideal way to fertilise lunar crops. “That is the new aspect of this work,” says Dr Foing, who presented the study at the EGU meeting, said there was no reason in principle why the same idea could not bear fruit on the Moon itself.

Full story, source: The Telegraph

Did they take into account the lack of atmosphere? Or are they going to build giant "greenhouses" too? Seems a bit absurd to me. Almost self-evident, but maybe just the idea of using lunar "soil" was a stumbling block.

Funny you should say that....because I've recently heard that there are (?) glass structures on the moon....

that there were ancient glass structures there, when the first human astronauts arrived.....that glass in the lunar

atmosphere.....is as strong as steel........BUT IT'S ALL A BIG SECRET (so keep it to yourself )

PS. I'm not joking.....except for the last bit in brackets...

They should try growing prickly pear cactus. That stuff will grow anywhere.