What crops can grow on the Moon?

Scientists from the University of Kent have proven that tea can be grown in soil that mimics the soil on the Moon.

This unusual experiment was reported at the Space Agriculture Workshop (SAW) conference.

Tea seedlings were planted in “lunar” and “Martian” soil analogues and compared with a control group in ordinary Devonian soil.

The conditions—temperature, light, and humidity—were selected to resemble those in space.

The result was unexpected: the tea bushes in the lunar soil took root and grew no worse than the control group, while the plants in the Martian soil died.

“These experiments show that Earth crops, including tea, can be grown in lunar greenhouses,” said Professor Nigel Mason.

After this experiment, scientists said that the research is important not only for future lunar bases but also for Earth.

The results will help to better understand how plants survive in adverse conditions and how to revitalize depleted soils suffering from climate change and depletion.

These first steps of the new experiment have shown that tea can be grown in lunar soil.

The next step is to understand the physiology of plants in these conditions in order to improve growth and extend the experience to other crops.