Chickpeas Grow in Moon Soil

Lunar regolith, the soil on the moon, is a challenging medium for plant growth due to its fine, sharp, and abrasive particles. It also lacks essential nutrients like nitrogen and contains toxic metals, making it inhospitable for most plants. Scientists have described the unamended soil as "awful" for agriculture. This isn't the first attempt to grow plants in lunar soil. In 2022, scientists successfully grew thale cress in actual lunar samples brought back by the Apollo missions. However, the plants showed signs of stress, were smaller, and grew more slowly than those in a simulated soil. Earlier, in 2019, China's Chang'e-4 probe sprouted cotton seeds on the Moon, but they died quickly. To overcome these challenges, researchers in the chickpea experiment used two key supplements: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and vermicompost. The fungi form a symbiotic relationship with the plant roots, helping them to branch out, absorb more nutrients, and sequester heavy metals. The vermicompost, a type of fertilizer created by earthworms, provides essential organic matter. The results were promising, with chickpeas successfully growing and producing seeds in soil mixtures containing up to 75% simulated lunar regolith. While all plants grown in the lunar simulant showed some signs of stress, those treated with the fungi survived two weeks longer than those without. The variety of chickpea used was 'Myles,' chosen for its hardiness and high protein content. This makes it a strong candidate for providing nutrition to future astronauts on long-term missions. Researchers are now conducting further tests to determine if the seeds from these lunar-grown chickpeas can germinate and produce a new generation of plants. They are also analyzing the chickpeas for any metal accumulation to ensure they would be safe for consumption. One researcher has already expressed a desire to make "moon hummus" if they are deemed safe to eat.