VEG-06: How plants and beneficial bacteria work together in microgravity.

Principal Investigator(s):

• Norman Lewis, Washington State University

Overview:

Veg-06 studies how plants and beneficial bacteria work together in microgravity. Some plants, like beans and peas, partner with specific bacteria to pull nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form that plants can use for growth. The investigation also examines changes in lignin, the tough material that helps plants stand upright on Earth.

Science objectives:

• Determine if plants and bacteria form working partnerships in microgravity
• Track plant health and growth when relying on bacteria for nutrients
• Study how the tough materials that give plants structure change in space

Potential Earth applications:

• Could improve understanding of how nitrogen fixation improves soil, which may benefit nearby plants in nature or crops
• Seeks to demonstrate economic advantages of planting nitrogen-fixing crops alongside other crops
• Find out if modifying lignin in plants might have benefits to agriculture and forestry

Potential space applications:

• May advance the development of ways to grow plants for food during future exploration
• Aims to reduce the need for fertilizers on future missions to the Moon and Mars
• Could make inedible plant parts easier to recycle, to help support future space crops