Science Alert by David Nield 21 August 2022
Once we've overcome all the challenges involved in getting to Mars, we'll then have to figure out how to make life sustainable there – and growing and cultivating crops is going to be a major part of that.
As you'll know if you've seen Matt Damon's struggles in the movie The Martian, the landscape of the red planet could in theory grow crops, a possibility backed by NASA experiments.
But it would be far from straightforward. Not only is the grit and dust devoid of organic matter and helpful microbes, it's also full of salts and minerals that make most plants struggle for survival.
Now a new study suggests a way forward: alfalfa plants. This forage crop would be capable of surviving in tough volcanic soil like that which covers Mars, researchers have determined, and could be then used as fertilizer to grow food like turnips, radishes and lettuce.
"The low nutrient content of Martian soil and high salinity of water render them unfit for direct use for propagating food crops on Mars," write the researchers in their published paper.
"It is therefore essential to develop strategies to enhance nutrient content in Mars soil and to desalinate briny water for long-term missions."
More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/this-is-the-first-plant-we-should-grow-on-mars-new-study-finds
