I am furthering research in growing successful plant life in Martian regolith. The intention of this research is to amend Martian regolith so that it can support edible plant growth. We intend to counteract the characteristics that would impede plant growth and introduce low-mass additives that support plant growth. To simulate Martian ground “MMS-2” is used, this regolith is designed to be over 90% similar in chemical and textural composition to ground cover on Mars.Challenges noted from previous research include inhibited root growth, inefficient nutrient absorption, and impeded water uptake due to clay-like consistency. The additives selected to counteract these challenges include vermiculite to expand the soil and improve water circulation, and Biodyne™ microbes to enhance nutrient uptake. I chose to also incorporate mycorrhizal fungi to support and enhance root development and function. My previous research indicated that mycorrhizal fungi played a significant root development, plant height, and leaf growth. My current research is focusing on reproducing these results with more specimens and clear data points to further evaluate the impact of these additives. Rosemary was selected due to its ability to thrive in harsh, cold, and dry climates. As this plant is notoriously difficult to grow from seed, seeds were pre-sprouted to confirm viability prior to planting in the experimental pots in order to assure more specimens. Experimental regolith are treated with mycorrhizal fungi, Biodyne™, or both receive treatment mixed in water; all regolith and the control are based in a 30/70 earth soil to regolith blend with vermiculite. Plants treated with mycorrhizal fungi are anticipated to have darker and plentiful leaves; plants treated with Biodyne™ are anticipated to show straighter growth, plants treated with both are anticipated to be the most successful with both plentiful dark thick leaves and straight strong growth.

We are expanding previous research which manipulated the composition and chemistry of Mars regolith to better support plant life. The Mars regolith we are using is a 70% regolith 30% compost mix. Our focal plant for this experiment is Salvia rosmarinus (hereinafter rosemary) because of its resilience in cold climates and minimal water needs. Rosemary has been observed to have low germination success in both Earth soil and Mars regolith, to address this we sprouted seeds in water prior to transplant in order to guarantee seeds were viable rather than sowing rosemary directly in Mars regolith. We will ensure cotyledons have developed and stems have reached <5.0mm in length prior to transplanting in regolith to eliminate the variable of low seed viability. We hypothesize the amendments made to Mars regolith along with microbial and mycorrhizal additives will significantly improve rosemary development and growth. Plants we have previously attempted to grow in Mars regolith experienced difficulty establishing roots when transplanting cuttings and when grown from seed due to the clay-like consistency of the regolith. We have adjusted the previous experimental design by adding vermiculite to improve drainage and reduce regolith density, microbes to fixate Nitrogen and assist in nutrient uptake, and mycorrhizal fungi to encourage more effective root establishment and development. Previous experiments with Biodyne™ microbes and mycorrhizal fungi in Mars regolith have shown promising results in kale and rosemary. We anticipate the addition of Biodyne™ and mycorrhizal fungi, both independently and together, will improve root development, plant height, leaf growth, and chlorophyll richness. To test this, we will collect data bi-weekly by noting plant “greenness” and measuring plant height, leaf length, leaf count, and root growth.