OUTER SPACE VEGETABLES
NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System program is experimenting to find the best crops for astronauts to grow in space stations.
 |
ILLUSTRATION BY ROBER LESSER
|
SEASONS OF THE GARDEN
RELATED CONTENT
Studies worldwide mean better gardens for you.
By Greg and Pat Williams
Scientists at several institutions are involved with NASA's
Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) program.
The goal of this undertaking is to find the best crops for
astronauts to grow in future space stations. Purdue
University researchers evaluated over 100 plant species on
the basis of yield, nutrient composition, disease
resistance—and, yes, even taste. They're now focusing
on hydroponic lettuce grown using the
"recirculating nutrient film technique." In precisely
controlled environments, leaf lettuce has matured in as few
as 19 days-allowing 16 crops per year! New enhancements
such as special lights tailored to the photosynthetic needs
of lettuce are expected to boost growth rates ever further.
Lettuce is the quick-growth champion, but what are the
other "space-efficient" crops? The results aren't all in,
but scientists are currently studying white potatoes (at
the University of Wisconsin), sweet potatoes (Tuskegee
Institute), wheat (University of California at Davis) and
soybeans (North Carolina State). So far, wheat has been
grown in only 65 days and soybeans in 80.
A more down-to-earth approach to efficient food raising is
presented in David Duhon's book One Circle: How to Grow
a Complete Diet in Less Than 1,000 Square Feet ($9
postpaid from Ecology Action, 5798 Ridgewood Rd., Willits,
CA 95490). Duhon examines and gives complete growing
information for 14 crops with high potential for use in
"minimal area" gardens. Six of these—potatoes,
sunflowers, onions, turnips, parsnips and
garlic—could conceivably provide a woman's complete,
balanced diet for one year from just a 550-square-foot
garden! (Duhon's other "wonder crops" are collards,
filberts, leeks, parsley, peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes
and wheat.)
Page: 1 |
2 |
3 |
Next >>
