When you think about a garden, you’re probably thinking about something in your backyard, with plenty of soil, water, air, and sunlight. Those are the basic requirements for growing something, but what if we told you that plant science is changing all that?
In the next few years, plant science wants to make growing easier; in space, in small apartments, and in desert climates. Want to learn how all this is possible? Learn more about the innovations in plant science below.
Astrobotany: Growing Plants in Space
Since the launch of the International Space Station (ISS), astrobotany has been on the mind of scientists. Learning to grow plants in the harsh environment of space can be the key to exploring more of the universe. But with a lack of gravity, a lot of radiation, and altered day-night cycles, it’s going to be difficult.
Here’s just a few things plant scientists, researchers, and astronauts in NASA are working on to tackle these problems:
- Veggie: The first ever space garden to grow plants in microgravity. They’ve already grown flowers, lettuce, and kale.
- Advanced Plant Habitat: A growth chamber for plant research. Unlike Veggie, it’s enclosed and automated, so the scientists in the Kennedy Space Center control everything inside.
- Vertical Farming: By stacking plants on a wall on top of each other, they’re saving space and studying how plants grow without sunlight, open air, and soil.
Hydroponics: Farming in Water
Hydroponics is a way of growing plants without soil, using water enriched with the nutrients that plants need. Because the roots of the plant are already submerged in the water, there’s no need for constant watering. And you don’t have to be a NASA scientist to use this farming method: hydroponics is just as at home in your apartment. You can learn how to make your own hydroponic garden using this step-by-step guide.
While this type of farming isn’t as large as traditional methods yet, it can offer these benefits:
- Reduces water usage by up to 90%
- Allows recycling of nutrient solutions
- With vertical farming, uses less space
- Year-round crop production
- Increased crop yields
- Environmental sustainability
- Pest and disease control
Aeroponics: Roots in the Air
If you want to save even more water, then aeroponics can do just that. By suspending roots in the air and misting them with the nutrients and water they need, farmers can reduce water usage by up to 95% compared to traditional farming. In urban areas and desert climates, that makes a big difference. Because aeroponic farming is hosted in greenhouses, farmers can better control humidity, temperature, and nutrients, leading to better plant growth.
Aeroponics is usually more expensive then hydroponics, but it can still offer plenty of other benefits, including:
- Uses less space for urban areas
- Better and faster growth of crops
- Fewer diseases and pests
- More nutritious produce
- Cleaner for the environment
Xerophytes: Masters of the Desert
Climate change affects more than just the temperature: it also affects rainfall, and that’s a big deal when it comes to farming. With more areas turning into deserts and arid regions, the need for plants that can survive these climates is literally growing. Xerophytes, with their unique adaptations like less leaves and deep root systems, might be the solution.
By studying these resilient plants, plant scientists can:
- Create crops that survive droughts
- Improve food production in dry regions
- Develop plants that tolerate salty soil
- Reduce water waste in farming
- Help plants survive extreme heat
Planting Seeds for the Future
The innovations that plant science is working on today can help solve problems for our future. From growing lettuce in space to designing water-efficient farming on Earth, plant science helps address food insecurity and environmental challenges.
If you’re looking at college majors and want to make an impact on the future, then plant science can give you what you’re looking for. As the next generation of plant scientists, you could garden at high altitude, tend a farm on Mars, or solve world hunger.
Check out BYU-Idaho’s plant science and technology degree to get started on your future. [LINK TO DEGREE PAGE]
Citations
NASA — Vegetable Production System (Veggie)
NASA — Advanced Plant Habitat
NASA — NASA Research Launches a New Generation of Indoor Farming
USDA National Agricultural Library — Hydroponics
University of Florida IFAS Extension — Hydroponic Vegetable Production
National Library of Medicine (PMC) — Research Article on Hydroponics and Controlled-Environment Agriculture
Viemose DGS — Aeroponic Farming
Viemose DGS — Aeroponic Farming
Atlas Scientific — Advantages of Aeroponics
GeeksforGeeks — Xerophytes: Adaptations and Examples
The Plant Journal — Research Article