The NASA Task Book

Responsible Center: NASA KSC Grant Monitor: Mickens, Matthew Center Contact: Matthew.A.Mickens@nasa.gov Unique ID: 15922	Solicitation / Funding Source: 2022 Space Biology NNH22ZDA001N-SBR: E.9 Space Biology Research Studies Grant/Contract No.: 80NSSC24K0755 Project Type: Ground Flight Program:	No. of Post Docs: 1 No. of PhD Candidates: No. of Master's Candidates: No. of Bachelor's Candidates:	No. of PhD Degrees: No. of Master's Degrees: No. of Bachelor's Degrees:

Space Biology Element:	(1) Cell & Molecular Biology (2) Plant Biology

Space Biology Cross-Element Discipline:	None

Space Biology Special Category:	None

Task Description:	This project will characterize the responses of potato to exposure to lunar regolith simulants at the growth, developmental, physiological and molecular levels. It is directly relevant to the scope of the E.9 Research Studies program element of Space Biology “for ground-based plant studies (and/or their associated microbes) that will characterize the responses of these organisms to conditions that recapitulate the stressors encountered in space exploration, specifically, exposure to lunar regolith (simulant)”. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an ideal clonally propagated food crop for space exploration because it provides more calories per land area than many other crops, grows on a wide variety of soil media, and it is nutritious and has a high satiety index. Potato is also a good model organism for plants that produce underground tubers because its genome has been sequenced and many large-scale omic datasets are publicly available. It also has a large untapped genetic diversity that makes it amenable to genetic studies and trait improvement. However, we currently do not know how potato might respond to lunar regolith simulant as a growth substrate, and whether there are potato genotypes that perform better than others on such substrate. It follows that we have no knowledge about the adaptability of potato to grow on lunar regolith simulant and the underlying mechanisms of acclimation. We have no knowledge either of the chemistry of potato tubers produced on lunar regolith simulant and whether these are safe for consumption by space exploration crews. By combining phenotypic, physiological and molecular characterization of a genetically diverse set of potato genotypes, this project will advance our knowledge of how potato responds to lunar regolith simulant and how it regulates and sustains growth and metabolism. The objective of this proposal is to characterize and compare the responses of potato to exposure to Lunar Highlands and Lunar Mare regolith simulants. Specifically, this project will: Aim 1. Characterize and compare the growth, physiology, leaf gene expression and leaf and tuber metabolism of the reference potato genotype ‘Modoc’ grown on Lunar Highlands regolith simulants OPRH4W30 and LHS-1E, Lunar Mare regolith simulants JSC-1A and EJSC-1A, and Earth Quincy Series Soil; Aim 2. Assess the genetic potential of potato to grow on Lunar Highlands and Lunar Mare regolith simulants LHS-1E and EJSC-1A by characterizing the performance of ten potato genotypes. This project will pinpoint potentially impaired physiological/biological processes that hinder the full growth potential of potato and inform on physiological and molecular mechanisms of adaption to growth on lunar regolith simulants.

Research Impact/Earth Benefits:	The research provides the foundations for growth optimization on lunar regolith for a major food crop, potato that is clonally propagated.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2025

Task Progress:

The initial start of experiments was delayed from April 2024 to August 2024 to accommodate the timeline of a post-doctoral scholar’s earliest possible start date. Despite this delay, we have made significant progress towards the goals of this project.

For Aim 1, we have completed an experiment that assessed growth of potato plants on lunar regolith simulant with or without addition of compost. This experiment revealed a clear effect of regolith simulant on overall plant size, especially roots’ and tubers’ biomass. Soil and plant tissue analyses enabled us to pinpoint a specific factor that likely represents the main stressor. We have initiated a second experiment where potato plants are grown on four different lunar regolith simulants. Plants are being phenotypically characterized. Experiments are underway to characterize the potato plant response to lunar regolith simulant at the molecular level.

For Aim 2, we have selected a set of 13 potato genotypes based on various characteristics (e.g., dormancy, stress tolerance), and obtained tissue culture plantlets from different sources across the U.S. (e.g., breeding programs, US Potato Genebank). We have started to propagate those plantlets and plan to plant them in lunar regolith simulants in April 2025.

During the next reporting period, ongoing experiments will be completed (i.e., harvest, phenotyping data analysis, metabolite analysis, and transcriptomic study). Aim 2 experiments will move forward on schedule.

Bibliography:

Description: (Last Updated: )

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None in FY 2025

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Project Title: Growth, Physiology and Nutrition Dynamics of Potato Plants Grown on Lunar Regolith Simulant Medium

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Fiscal Year: FY 2024
Division: Space Biology
Research Discipline/Element:
Space Biology: Cell & Molecular Biology | Plant Biology

Start Date: 04/01/2024
End Date: 03/31/2026
Task Last Updated: 03/21/2024

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Principal Investigator/Affiliation: Goyer, Aymeric Ph.D. / Oregon State University

Address:

2701 SW Campus Way

Corvallis , OR 97331-8646

Email: aymeric.goyer@oregonstate.edu
Phone: 541-720-7126
Congressional District: 4
Web:

Organization Type: UNIVERSITY
Organization Name: Oregon State University
Joint Agency:
Comments:

Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation:

Jaiswal, Pankaj Ph.D.

Oregon State University

Project Information: Grant/Contract No. 80NSSC24K0755

Responsible Center: NASA KSC Grant Monitor: Mickens, Matthew Center Contact: Matthew.A.Mickens@nasa.gov Unique ID: 15922	Solicitation / Funding Source: 2022 Space Biology NNH22ZDA001N-SBR: E.9 Space Biology Research Studies Grant/Contract No.: 80NSSC24K0755 Project Type: Ground Flight Program:	No. of Post Docs: 1 No. of PhD Candidates: No. of Master's Candidates: No. of Bachelor's Candidates:	No. of PhD Degrees: No. of Master's Degrees: No. of Bachelor's Degrees:

Space Biology Element:	(1) Cell & Molecular Biology (2) Plant Biology

Space Biology Cross-Element Discipline:	None

Space Biology Special Category:	None

Task Description:	This project will characterize the responses of potato to exposure to lunar regolith simulants at the growth, developmental, physiological and molecular levels. It is directly relevant to the scope of the E.9 Research Studies program element of Space Biology “for ground-based plant studies (and/or their associated microbes) that will characterize the responses of these organisms to conditions that recapitulate the stressors encountered in space exploration, specifically, exposure to lunar regolith (simulant)”. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an ideal clonally propagated food crop for space exploration because it provides more calories per land area than many other crops, grows on a wide variety of soil media, and it is nutritious and has a high satiety index. Potato is also a good model organism for plants that produce underground tubers because its genome has been sequenced and many large-scale omic datasets are publicly available. It also has a large untapped genetic diversity that makes it amenable to genetic studies and trait improvement. However, we currently do not know how potato might respond to lunar regolith simulant as a growth substrate, and whether there are potato genotypes that perform better than others on such substrate. It follows that we have no knowledge about the adaptability of potato to grow on lunar regolith simulant and the underlying mechanisms of acclimation. We have no knowledge either of the chemistry of potato tubers produced on lunar regolith simulant and whether these are safe for consumption by space exploration crews. By combining phenotypic, physiological and molecular characterization of a genetically diverse set of potato genotypes, this project will advance our knowledge of how potato responds to lunar regolith simulant and how it regulates and sustains growth and metabolism. The objective of this proposal is to characterize and compare the responses of potato to exposure to Lunar Highlands and Lunar Mare regolith simulants. Specifically, this project will: Aim 1. Characterize and compare the growth, physiology, leaf gene expression and leaf and tuber metabolism of the reference potato genotype ‘Modoc’ grown on Lunar Highlands regolith simulants OPRH4W30 and LHS-1E, Lunar Mare regolith simulants JSC-1A and EJSC-1A, and Earth Quincy Series Soil; Aim 2. Assess the genetic potential of potato to grow on Lunar Highlands and Lunar Mare regolith simulants LHS-1E and EJSC-1A by characterizing the performance of ten potato genotypes. This project will pinpoint potentially impaired physiological/biological processes that hinder the full growth potential of potato and inform on physiological and molecular mechanisms of adaption to growth on lunar regolith simulants.

Research Impact/Earth Benefits:	The research provides the foundations for growth optimization on lunar regolith for a major food crop, potato that is clonally propagated.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2024

Task Progress:

New Project for FY2024

Bibliography:

Description: (Last Updated: )

Show Cumulative Bibliography

None in FY 2024

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