Growing Rice Plants on Mars? Red Planet's First Humans Could Farm Gene-Edited Crops, Researchers Say

Andy Weir's book, The Martian, suggested an unconventional recipe involving potatoes and feces. But recent research proposes that genetically altered rice may be the key to feeding the first inhabitants of Mars.

As per NASA, traveling to Mars requires a lengthy seven-month trek across 300 million miles and can only occur during certain intervals every couple of years. Consequently, the initial Martian settlers will have to cultivate their own food. However, the planet's soil poses a potential threat to plant growth due to the presence of perilous perchlorate salts.

Soils of Mars Might Have the Necessary Nutrients for Growing Rice Plants; Red Planet's First Humans Could Farm Gene-Edited Crops Pixabay/DIYmaster

Gene-edited Crops Perform Better in Martian Soil-like Conditions

The newly conducted research presented at the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference proposes that genetically modified rice may have the ability to prosper in Martian regolith.

According to Forbes, researchers from the University of Arkansas were able to create a simulation of Martian soil using soil rich in basalt mined from the Mojave Desert by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

They grew three types of rice in these soils - one wild and two gene-edited - and found that the gene-edited strains performed better in drought, lack of sugar, and salt conditions. They also grew the same three strains in a mix of the Martian and potting soils to compare results. They found that genetically modified rice grows well in the simulated Martian soil if a quarter of it is potting soil.

The researchers discovered that the limit for growing rice in simulated Martian soil is three grams of perchlorate per kilogram of soil. This breakthrough could have broader applications in regions on Earth with soil high in salt content. This research could be relevant for future Mars missions, as it could allow scientists to use Earth as a "terrestrial analog" to propagate seeds before they are sent to Mars.

According to the team, the next step will be to experiment with newly developed Martian soil and other strains of rice before developing a Mars simulation chamber that will replicate temperature and atmosphere conditions on the planet.

Going forward, this research could contribute to the development of technologies for more sustainable agriculture in harsh climate conditions. It could also help enable humans to sustainably grow crops off-world in the future. The research team's findings present new opportunities to explore the potential for genetic modification to improve crop yields in challenging environments on Earth as well.

What's In Martian Soil?

Astrobotany reports that the surface of Mars is covered in a layer of iron oxide dust, sitting on top of a volcanic basalt crust. This layer lacks any organic properties, making it different from Earthly soil.

Mars soil contains valuable elements like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chlorine that are necessary for plant growth. However, extreme temperatures, radiation, and chlorine toxicity make it a difficult environment to grow anything.

One positive aspect of the reduced gravity on Mars is that soils can hold more water, which could potentially make the soil more farmable. Regolith simulants, such as the Mojave Mars Simulant, help scientists understand what they might encounter when they reach the planet's surface.

Although it remains a challenge, scientists have experimented to determine how to grow plants in this inhospitable environment. The future of farming on Mars depends on finding ways to mitigate the toxic levels of chlorine and other factors that make it nearly impossible for plants to grow.