Among the 13 experiments conducted by Alper Gezeravcı was Extremophyte, covering the growth of Schrenkiella Parvula, an endemic plant located in Tuz Gölü (Salt Lake), under minimal gravity and highly salty conditions.
As reported by Anadolu Agency, the experiment was prepared by Turkish Ege University’s Associate Professor Rengin Özgür Uzilday from the Biology Department. Uzilday noted that the resistance of the plant against chemical and physical conditions could pave the way for farming on other planets by improving the soil:
“The plants sprouted on the second and third days of the experiment. We observed that the plants reached the expected levels of growth, but their shapes differed because of microgravity. Schrenkiella Parvula can adapt to extreme salt, heavy metals, and high or low temperatures. This might allow for improving the soil on planets like Mars where humanity might conduct farming in the future.”
The plants were harvested and stored at -80 degrees Celsius to be brought to the Earth and finally to Turkiye. The gene changes in the plant in response to micro-gravity will be observed with the RNA sequencing method.
Experiment on Halophyte Plant Paves Way For Space Farming
