Abstract
Human space exploration cannot occur without reliable provision of nutritious and palatable food to sustain physical and mental well-being. This ultimately will depend upon efficient production of food in space, with on-site manufacturing on space stations or the future human colonies on celestial bodies. Extraterrestrial environments are by their nature foreign, and exposure to various kinds of plant stressors likely cannot be avoided. But this also offers opportunities to rethink food production as a whole. We are used to the boundaries of the Earth ecosystem such as its standard temperature range, oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations, plus diel cycles of light, and we are unfamiliar with liberating ourselves from those boundaries. However, space research, performed both in true outer space and with mimicked space conditions on Earth, can help explore plant growth from its ‘first principles’. In this sense, this perspective paper aims to highlight fundamental opportunities for plant growth in space, with a new perspective on the subject. Conditions in space are evidently demanding for plant growth, and this produces “stress”. Yet, this stress can be seen as positive or negative. With the positive view, we discuss whether plant production systems could proactively leverage stresses instead of always combatting against them. With an engineering view, we focus, in particular, on the opportunities associated with radiation exposure (visible light, UV, gamma, cosmic). Rather than adapting Earth conditions into space, we advocate on rethinking the whole issue; we propose there are opportunities to exploit space conditions, commonly seen as threats, to benefit space farming.
Introduction
Space Farming as Part of Human Space Exploration
Space exploration has intrigued humans for decades; with much of our wonder stemming from the unknown. If human beings ever visit or live for a prolonged time on another planet, they will need enough food for the complete journey, produced in a bioregenerative life support system (BLSS; Figure 1). One astronaut on a 9-month one-way trip to Mars requires an estimated 1 tonne of food (). The estimated cost of preparing, launching, and storing this food is US$50M; a 3-year round trip would cost substantially more.
FIGURE 1
Significant limitations for long-term missions include the limited number of pharmaceuticals/vitamins that adequately make it to a year of shelf-life due to degradation (). NASA has spent years perfecting thermo-stabilised or freeze-dried foods for astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), from scrambled eggs to chicken teriyaki. “The meals are meant to last, but they would not survive the long journey to Mars”, says Julie Robinson, the chief scientist for the International Space Station (). On the ISS, and proposed mission vehicles, there is very limited refrigeration present, constraining delivery or storage potential of fresh foods. Accordingly, sustainable “life-environment crop-growth ecosystems” need to be developed in conjunction with the science of how plants grow in space (Figure 1). This provides the opportunity to propel scientific discovery by interdisciplinary paradigms such as microgravity, cosmic ray irradiation, and “Unearth” gas atmospheres, temperatures, and light patterns, which are referred to as “plant stressors” in this review.
Space farming studies have been made since the early years of space launches () and have become steady since the ISS commenced establishment in 1998, which is humankind’s sole laboratory above Earth at present (Figure 2). However, this will soon be joined the low Earth orbit Chinese Tiangong space station currently being assembled in space (Shen et al., 2018) and the ISS is currently scheduled for staged replacement by the Axiom Lunar Gateway from Axiom Space onwards (). The need for adequate and sustainable farming systems is a pressing issue as sights are set on upcoming Mars missions (). The importance of plant growth and development in outer space is critical for crewed missions, not only from a nutrients’ perspective but also from a psychological one (Zabel et al., 2016; ).
FIGURE 2
Objective of This Review
This review is conceptualised from an engineers’ perspective rather than aiming for a complete microbiology and crop science overview. More precisely, it represents the analysis of system engineers, who are willing to cross borders, in particular to plant biology and crop-relevant photochemistry and–physics; all under the auspices of space stressing. We will give an inventory of plant stressors and how they may be overcome or utilised in outer space. We will propose what kind of stress is strictly to be avoided and requires adequate shielding, and which kind of stress (stressors) might positively promote plant growth in harsh space conditions and assist with their domestication for space (Figure 3). In particular, we focus on the issues surrounding radiation (e.g., light, UV, gamma, cosmic). These aspects are then combined to discuss the combination of stressors to which plants will be exposed to. We will conclude with what opportunities are provided in space compared to Earth-grown plants, and how Earth horticulture can be further advanced with such learning, especially for the harsh environments on Earth, e.g., in the Arctic and Antarctica.
FIGURE 3

Stress and eustress for plant growth in space, and the role of modelling to make forecasts.
Tropisms are directional movement responses in plants that occur in response to a directional stimulus (e.g., gravity, touch, temperature, light, water, salt, chemicals). The comprehension of the pathways that control tropisms are at various levels of maturity, but what its clear is that tropisms are usually controlled by a network of internal signals including plant hormones (Weyers and Paterson, 2001). Tropisms can be a stress response, but equally could be harnessed for benefit under controlled conditions. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) can be developed as closed, environmental systems, to mitigate stress from extreme environments on Earth. In specialised containers, plant growth functions can be maintained even in the Arctic, Antarctica, or at high altitudes in mountains. The aim and perspective given in this review, however, is not entirely to avoid stress, but to seek opportunities to use stress to become the standard environment for plant growth in space. Eustress, in general terms, means beneficial stress, either being psychological, physical, or biochemical/radiological. The question then is if plants can adapt themselves to the stress in space in a positive way to grow even better; possibly supported by genetic or other alteration.
Plant-Stressors in Space as Compared to Earth
Plant stressors will first be considered in isolation with reference to previous works before a discussion of the potential effects of combined stressors on plant performance. Two categories of plant stress are considered relation to biotic- or abiotic- origin.
Biotic Stress
Biotic stressors on Earth derive from the interaction of biological vectors with plants, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, or insects, which result in infection, diseases, damage, or a reduction in growth (
The mechanisms to help plants overcome biotic stress may be based on their natural resilience (as developed on Earth), or through the maintenance of a clean environment or treatments to minimise any threat. Plant natural defence mechanisms to biotic stress can include morphological and structural adjustments, chemical compounds, proteins or enzyme production (Song et al., 2021). In space, we may rely on and further developed human-made defence strategies for plants, i.e., management practices to limit the severity or even fully prevent biotic stress. As such, an integrated pest management (IPM) program is required to prevent, mitigate, and eliminate both insect pests and disease outbreaks in space-based plant-growing systems (Schuerger, 2021). This can include measures such as disinfecting tools and receptacles, cultivating plants in a closed system, or applying natural predators or chemical repellants.
One of the main mechanisms to minimise biotic stress is the cultivation in a closed system, which is a doubly closed one, since a “space greenhouse” will be part of a space station or lunar/Martian habitat (
Abiotic Stress
Abiotic stresses known on Earth include cold stress, heat stress, drought stress, waterlogging/anoxia, salt (salinity) stress, and to a lesser extent light stress (Figure 4) (
FIGURE 4

Abiotic stresses on Earth and in space. Light stress is assigned to space, albeit known as well on Earth for reasons given in the respective text.
Thermal Acclimation to Heat and Cold Stress
Temperatures in space vary from very cold to hot when considering the largely fluctuating temperatures on celestial bodies such as the Moon and Mars. Similarly, environment of a spacecraft may vary, although is expected to remain more stable relative to the outside environment. As space is concerned, the scope of temperatures on the surface of the planets within our solar system is vast, ranging from −230 to 470°C with many of the planets experiencing their own significant range at varying points throughout the day and night (Table 1) (Solar System Temperatures, 2018). For instance, Mars’ surface temperature ranges from −143 to 35°C (
TABLE 1
| Temperature | Maximal (°C) | Minimal (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Earth | +60 | −89 |
| Mars | +35 | −143 |
| Space | +470 | −230 |
Range of temperatures on Earth and in space.
Thermal Acclimation on Earth
Plants can only grow within a certain temperature range (Pisek et al., 1973). Temperature can directly affect plant growth through metabolic processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration (
The optimal thermal range is highly species and photosynthetic pathway dependent. C4 plants generally perform better in hot, dry climates and are often more efficient than C3 in terms of light, water and nitrogen use. By contrast, C4 plants are generally more susceptible than C3 when it comes to cold stress (
Plants can adapt to differences in temperature, where thermal acclimation refers to the suite of morphological and architectural changes induced by variation in temperature. The effect of temperature stress on plant growth is exemplified via the physiological changes of Bromeliad seedlings, a large family of tropical plants, shown in Figure 5. Plant hormones including auxin, early flowering complex (ELF4), and the precursor gibberellin 12 (GA12) mediate growth response to ambient temperature changes. Under exposure to high temperatures (25–32°C), plants keep their roots at lower temperatures than the leaves through auxin-regulated thermonasty of leaves and associated hypocotyl elongation combined with GA12—mediated root thermomorphogensis. In comparison, plants under cold stress (10°C) maintain roots at a higher temperature than the leaves due to ELF4’s mobility, which is increased to modulate root circadian rhythms under cold temperatures.
FIGURE 5

Temperature distribution of bromeliads exposed to varying temperatures: (left) exposed to 25–32°C for 7 days, and (right) exposed to 10°C for 10 days. Solid and dashed lines indicate higher and reduced transmission of signaling molecules: auxin, early flowering complex (ELF4), and the precursor gibberellin 12 (GA12) respectively, which mediate growth response to ambient temperature changes (Nievola et al., 2017).
Alternative signalling pathways are employed by other species to respond to high temperature. In many plants, cells perceive heat in the plasma membrane and utilise signaling pathways involving ABA and calcium ion (Ca2+) exchange to trigger thermal acclimation mechanisms. Also, the activation state of the major photosynthetic enzyme, Rubisco activase, can change in response to temperature as well as light, CO2 concentration, and other environmental factors (Parry et al., 2008). Whilst Rubisco itself is heat stable, Rubisco activase is highly sensitive to temperature (
One way to avoid temperature stress is a change in the mechanism of photosynthesis that plants can undergo. The normal photosynthesis mechanism is performed by C3 plants; without going here into details of what this denotes.
Thermal Acclimation in Space
Cold stress is an expected threat in space due to the low temperatures of the solar system. Whilst cold (or heat) stress is prevalent on Earth, the characteristics of the stress will also differ. For example, a day on the Moon is roughly equivalent to 27 days on the Earth, of which 13.5 days are daytime, and 13.5 days are nights. On the Moon, the highest temperature possible is 120°C, under direct sunlight during the day whilst night-temperatures can be as low as 150°C or even −180°C due to a lack of atmosphere. Mars also has seasonal changes like Earth but are approximately twice the length. This highlights the importance of the stress periods to which plants may be exposed; with the magnitude and length of stress likely differing in space relative to Earth. To some extent, thermal stress in space will be mitigated through engineering solutions to provide suitable plant growth habitats. However, depending on energy availability and habitat specification, the exact temperatures at which these can be maintained may differ compared to growth habitats on Earth.
Drought Stress
Drought Stress on Earth
Worldwide, drought e.g. lack of water, is one of the major constraints limiting crop production (
Drought Stress in Space
As water is limited in space, the probability of drought causing water stress can be expected. This indicates that all water requirements must be supplied for plant growth. Within a closed-loop agricultural system, water can be recycled by re-condensing the water lost through transpiration; thus reducing overall requirements compared to an open growth system (
Water shortages could be overcome in part by reducing water requirements through the growth of plants in aeroponics that typically needs 98% less water than field-grown plants (Spinoff, 2006), or growing cultivars that have high water use efficiency. Aeroponics, also have additional benefits of improved nutrient use efficiency, and higher growth rates due to higher oxygen availability at roots plus the ability to alter misting frequency and the nutrient composition to match the optimal conditions for each plant species (
Salt Stress
Salt Stress on Earth
Salt stress affects plant growth and yield worldwide due to ionic toxicity, osmotic stress, plus alterations to the soil ionic balance and water status (
Salt stress further impacts photosynthesis through stomatal limitation, stomatal closure, inhibition of the chloroplast pigment-protein complex photosystem (PS) II, degradation of photosynthetic membrane proteins, membrane instability, decreased electron transport activities, a reduction in the content of the carbon-fixation enzyme Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco). This can lead to a reduction in photosynthetic rate or, in some instances, complete inhibition of assimilation (
Plants can be classed as glycophytes, halophytes or euhalophytes depending upon their level and mechanism of tolerance. Glycophytes, which includes most crop plants, have low tolerance; their growth is inhibited or even completely prevented by NaCl concentrations of 100–200 mM, resulting in mortality even under short-term exposure (
Salt Stress in Space
It is currently unknown what effect salt stress may have in plants cultivated space. As plant growth will occur in a closed environment, the level of salt input to the system is likely to be regulated. However, plant growth will, in part, be dependent upon recycled water from human waste or from in situ resource utilisation such as under-ice salt water lakes (discussed above), and so salt-tolerant plants could be adopted to function as an osmoticum. Many studies have assessed the potential for using saline water on conventional crops and forages, however their low tolerance limits productivity (
Microgravity Stress- Earth Versus Space
Plants evolved under gravity, and thus all aspects of plant growth, development, and morphology are affected by this force (Vandenbrink et al., 2014). In addition, gravity underlies many physical phenomena like buoyancy, convection, and sedimentation. In turn, this indirectly determines plant growth such as gas exchange, cellular respiration, and photosynthesis, each of which are influenced by changed in buoyancy (
TABLE 2
| Temperature | Gravity acceleration (m/s2) | Relative value (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Earth, sea level | 9.800 | 100 |
| Earth, Mount Everest (8,848 m) | 9.773 | 99.7 |
| Earth, (2,650 km distance) | 0.49 | 50.0 |
| Mars | 3.721 | 38.0 |
| Moon | 1.620 | 16.5 |
Gravity on Earth, Mars and Moon.
On Earth, microgravity can be simulated in specialty machinery such as random position machine or clinostat, which move around a specific, typically random, trajectories in order to cancel out gravity (
Microgravity can lead to mechanical changes in crops in terms of their plant growth, cell atrophy, and overall mass and mass distribution (Zheng et al., 2015; Vandenbrink and Kiss, 2016). This may cause bending stresses and other non-random mechanostimulation (
FIGURE 6

Schematic of cell-internal structure in the root tip of a normal plant with gravity-sensing Amyloplasts containing starch (A) and root tip of a starchless mutant plant under microgravity (B) (
Since the 1960s, experiments conducted in space stations and research rockets have shown that plants can grow normally in microgravity provided factors such as confinement, lack of ventilation and elevated radiation levels are controlled. However, other experiments indicate a plethora of changes of plants grown under microgravity. This includes changes at the cell/molecular level, alterations to the cell cycle and the cell wall structure (
To some extent, it may be possible to simulate gravity and thus reduce the magnitude of gravitational stress. For example, rotational artificial gravity can be created using centrifugal force, e.g., via rotating two habitats around each other, as is envisaged for the Stanford torus system (diameter = 1.8 km, mass million tons), rotating at 1 rpm (
Atmospheric Stress—low Pressure or Atmospheres of Different Composition
To the best of our knowledge, atmospheric pressure has not been practically exploited so far on Earth but may be a valid addition to promote plant growth in space. In space or on celestial bodies, the atmosphere is either of a different composition (regarding the proportion of the gases) to Earth or completely lacking. On the Earth, the total atmospheric gas pressure at sea level is approximately 101 kPa, with partial pressure of oxygen at 21 kPa (Zhou et al., 2017). As elevation increases, the atmospheric pressure decreases, reaching 0 kPa at an altitude of approximately 30,000 m. However, on Earth, low pressure stress, known as hypobaria, co-occurs with low-oxygen stress, known as hypoxia, since the relative pressure of O2 is consistent in the atmosphere. A pressure of 50 kPa can be considered as a boundary of moderate and severe hypobaria, and represents the natural terrestrial limit (Paul et al., 2004; Richards et al., 2006). Controlled studies that manipulate pressure and oxygen composition independently indicate altered gene expression under hypobaric conditions, which is only partially alleviated under normoxia (Zhou et al., 2017). Understanding plant growth under hypobaria is relevant to space agriculture, where hypobaric environments may reflect a favorable engineering choice for plant growth habitats, and in terrestrial crop breeding, enabling expansion of cultivation into marginal terrain and environments (
Current evidence suggests that alteration in pressure generally has little effect on plant development. Under laboratory conditions, hypobaric environments can be created maintaining amenable temperature, humidity, and gas composition. Generally, as long as temperatures are maintained above freezing and there is sufficient water availability, higher plants appear to physiologically adapt well to hypobaric environments. However, the specific response varies greatly depending on the composition of the atmosphere and the plant species (Paul et al., 2004;
FIGURE 7

The growth status of wheat in low pressure environment: 50 kPa total pressure 10.4 or 5.0 kPa oxygen partial pressure (A), and 50 kPa total pressure 2.5 kPa oxygen partial pressure (B) (
Similar to hypobaric stress on Earth, under space-atmospheric conditions, hypoxia is common due to the lack of natural convection. Similarly, waterlogging decreases the oxygen available to roots. Indeed, under hypobaric conditions on Earth, hypoxia is a major contributor towards plant stress and symptoms (
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main phytonutrient, which affects the growth rate, development, and final yield of plants. Earth’s atmosphere is composed of approximately 0.041% CO2 by volume, equal to 410 ppm. In comparison, the majority of the Martian atmosphere is CO2, comprising 95.3% CO2, 2.7% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and a small amount of O2. Studies on Earth indicate the benefits to yield arising from increases in CO2 concentration (
Ozone (O3) can also influence plant growth, both directly or indirectly dependent on position and composition. On Earth, O3 acts as a pollutant at ground level but at high altitudes in the stratosphere, it forms an essential protective layer against harmful solar ultra-violet radiation (see below). As a pollutant, O3 increases Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), induced through stomatal closure (
Radiation Stress
Radiation is a form of energy that is emitted in the form of rays, electromagnetic waves, and/or particles. Plants and animals are exposed to radiation every day on Earth, and exposure is unavoidable. Travelling on an airplane, speaking on the phone, or even heating food can expose an individual to various doses of radiation (Radiation sources and dos, 2019). However, radiation composition and severity differs greatly between Earth and Space (Table 3). In space, and on Mars, the radiation environment consists of the solar electromagnetic spectrum plus a diverse array of charged particles from both within and outside the solar system (Nelson, 2016). This results in three kinds of radiation: particles trapped in the Earth’s magnetic field; particles shot into space during solar flares (solar particle events); and galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). Due to shielding by the Earth’s magnetosphere and atmosphere, terrestrial and low Earth orbit environments are largely shielded from these sources. In fact, the ionising radiation from galactic cosmic rays are so powerful that they even penetrate through highly-engineered spacecraft (Perez, 2019). Radiation in space can ultimately disrupt the typical function at a physiological and micro-level (
TABLE 3
| Radiation | Earth, surface | Inner radiation belt | ISS | Outer radiation belt | Space (moon, mars) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galactic cosmic rays | 75 mSv (ISS) | 14 mSv (moon-Apollo 14, peak) | |||
| 79 mSv (Shuttle, peak) | 1,000 mSv (Mars) | ||||
| 77.6 μGy d−1 ( | 2,500 mSv (astronaut limit, 35a) ( | ||||
| Proton | 700 MeV | 30–150 MeV | 0.4–7 MeV (Vernov et al., 1965) | ||
| 2 × 104 cm−2 s−1 | 567 μGy d−1 | <102 cm−2 s−1 | |||
| Beta | 10 MeV | a few MeV | 0.1–10 MeV | ||
| 2 × 109 cm−2 s−1 | average: 278 μGy d−1 | 1 × 1011 cm−2 s−1 | |||
| peak: 28,840 μGy d−1 | |||||
| Gamma | 511 keV | ||||
| Several tens keV (large nuclei) | |||||
| Solar energy particle | Peak: 5,251 μGy d−1 | ||||
| Secondary particle radiation | 2.2 mSv yr−1 | a few μGy d−1 |
Radiation characteristics on Earth and space at different distance from Earth.
Examples of ionising radiation include alpha particles (a helium atom nucleus moving at very high speeds), beta particles (high-speed electrons or positrons), gamma rays, x-rays, and GCRs. Each of which are of a different energy and intensity (see Table 3) (Reitz, 2008). Examples of non-ionising radiation include radio frequencies, microwaves, infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet (UV) light. More damage can also be created by secondary particles that are propelled into motion by the primary radiation particle. Extraterrestrial, high-energy gamma rays include the gamma-ray background produced when cosmic rays (either high speed electrons or protons) collide with ordinary matter, producing pair-production gamma rays at 511 keV. Alternatively, secondary radiation (bremsstrahlung) is produced at energies of tens of MeV or more when cosmic-ray electrons interact with nuclei of sufficiently high atomic number. GCR are heavy, high-energy ions of elements that have had all their electrons stripped away as they journeyed through the galaxy at nearly the speed of light. While non-ionising radiation is damaging, it can easily be shielded out of an environment, as given for UV radiation.
Radiation effects in space are an issue of prominence and presents one of the main factors determining success of space travel (
The following sections will discuss different forms of radiation stress and indicate where radiation has been altered to manipulate plant growth.
Visible Light Stress
PAR refers to the spectral range of solar radiation that can be used by plants; between 400 and 700 nm, and constitutes visible light. This is often referred to as the photosynthetic photon flux density; or PPFD, with each quantum of light called a photon. Leaf photosynthesis responds non-linearly to changes in PAR. Under highly heterogeneous light environments, PAR intensities will vary from limited to excessive. As the most variable environmental driver PAR imposes a two-fold challenge; the need to efficiently utilise as many photons as possible whilst simultaneously preventing harm caused by excess radiation. Achieving the optimal balance between these two states is critical to maximise both productivity and mitigate radiation-induced damage (
Photosynthetic acclimation (also termed photoacclimation) presents another subset of morphological and biochemical adjustments by which plants use to adapt to prevailing PAR conditions; whether an increase in intensity or a decrease (Walters, 2005;
The processes of photoprotection and photoacclimation will interact together and thus the actual productivity of a plant will depend upon the balance between different states. For example, exposure to excess light levels may lead to the enhancement of photoprotective mechanisms and in turn photoprotection may place an upper limit on the capacity to acclimate (e.g., Demmig-Adams et al., 2012 (
Photoengineering of Visible Light
The most important characteristics of the lighting regime for plants are the PPFD (
FIGURE 8

Characteristics of the lighting regime relevant for crop growth.
Ample literature exists on the impact of he use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for manipulation of these light traits. The design of lighting systems to obtain the optimal photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) remains a topic of ongoing research.
Effect of Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density
The light intensity, or PPFD, required for optimal plant growth is highly species and variety specific and is partly dependent upon the local environmental conditions in which a plant is grown. For example, a plant growing closer to the equator will be acclimated to higher PPFD (2000 μmol m−2 s−1). The maximum value strongly depends on the photosynthetic pathway employed (e.g., C3 versus C4) plus the leaf area (or biomass density) of the crop (
Effect of Photoperiod
The photoperiod is an integral value of the daily dose of crop irradiation. It is often referred to as daily light integral (DLI). It affects biomass accumulation, as well as accumulation of secondary metabolites in many crops; the latter mediate ecological interactions, to produce a selective advantage in terms of plant survivability or fertility. Most crops require a circadian rhythm (“sleep–wake cycle”) with a specific day length for flowering, without which, yield will not be produced. Yet, there are also crops that are more flexible to the photoperiod, and we will report about them here.
Duration of Lighting
An extension of the photoperiod at constant radiation intensity can increase the growth: the weight of loose-leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) almost doubled when increasing the photoperiod from 16 to 24 h (
Number of Cycles
Another parameter is the number of light-dark cycles in a given photoperiod. For example, an increasing number of cycles from 18 h (light)-6 h (dark) to 9 h (light)-3 h (dark) to 6(light)-2(dark) within 24 h altered the chemical composition of tomato and cucumber seedlings (
Supplemental Lighting
In addition, the photoperiod may be manipulated in the dark cycle by overnight supplemental lighting (OSL). While this is known to increase the growth of some crops (
Effect of Light Spectral Composition
The light spectral composition affects plant’s growth and development (Figure 9) (Ouzounis et al., 2015). The spectral composition can also affect taste components such as the aromatic intensity in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) (
FIGURE 9

Effect of light wavelengths on chrysanthemum (A), tomato (B) and lettuce (C). The light absorption maxima of the intact leaves are in the bands of 400–490 nm and 660–680 nm, which is close to maximum absorption bands of a chlorophyll extract (420–460 nm and 640–660 nm) (
Typically, red light (600–660 nm) and blue light (400–490 nm) wavelengths are most effectively absorbed by chlorophylls and are required as the main energy sources for photosynthesis (
Monochromatic light usually is unable to ensure normal plant growth (
Green light (500–600 nm) is also able to promote plant growth (Smith et al., 2017). This can be attributed to the greater penetration of green wavelengths through the leaf and canopy profile, contributing to carbon gain and signalling in lower cellular and canopy layers (Smith et al., 2017). In addition, the green light has been proposed to be beneficial for human-based diagnostics of biotic stress. The absence of green light may give plants unhealthy appearance. Previously NASA studies of leaves grown in bioregenerative life-support systems for space under dichromatic red and blue LEDs have grey/black appearance, which are reported to be difficult to discern any colour-related stress symptoms (
Effect of Lighting Mode
The lighting mode, i.e., whether the radiation is applied continuously or pulsed, has an influence on plant performance because light-absorbing molecules in chloroplasts become inactivated after absorbing a light quantum (Tennessen et al., 1995). Therefore, continuous lighting can only be 100% efficient if operated below the value required to saturate photosynthesis. Pulsed lighting can be used to moderate the excitation of the photosynthetic membrane whilst simultaneously saving light energy and enhancing crop energy efficiency. Essential for the latter is to find a dark-light cycle optimisation; which will be species and light intensity specific.
For several crops, short (≤100 µs), high-intensity light pulses interspersed with dark periods could fulfill the energy needs at relatively low PPFD levels and can result in a higher quantum use efficiency, as compared to continuous lighting. For example, lettuce plants grown under pulsed lighting with a period of 100 ms and duty cycle (the ratio between the duration of light-on to the total light-on plus light-off period) of 50% showed higher biomass and photosynthetic rate (
UV Light Stress on Earth Versus Space
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation (100—400 nm) can cause plant growth stress. UV radiation will differ in space compared to Earth and affects plant’s growth dependent on its exact spectral profile, i.e. presenting short or long wavelength spans. UV radiation can be split into three different categories based on wavelength, each of which has a differential effect on plant growth. UV-A refers to wavelengths from 315 to 400 nm; UV-B from 280 to 315 nm; and UV-C from 100 to 280 nm. That Earth-bound protection against damage via UV radiation, does not exist in space; providing a very different UV signature. UV-C rays are almost completely absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere, whilst UV-B rays are absorbed ∼95% by the ozone layer. UV-A rays account for 95 percent of UV radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface.
Whilst UV-A and -B mainly affect morphogenesis and phototropism, UV-B and -C trigger secondary metabolite production and are strongly absorbed by nuclear, mitochondrial and chloroplastic DNA (Robson et al., 2015; Vanhaelewyn et al., 2020). The exact response to UV stress is species specific. Exposure to UV-B over several days, results in increased damage to seedlings of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) relative to barley (Hordeum vulgare) and radish (Raphanus sativus), while corn (Zea mays) was hardly influenced at all (
UV-C rays are generally considered to be one of the most harmful factors, causing damage to epidermal and mesophyll cells of plants (
Alpha Radiation Stress
Alpha (α) particles have a positive charge and are identical to helium nuclei, consisting of two protons and two neutrons. They result from the radioactive decay of heavy elements such as radium, thorium, uranium, and plutonium. Because of their double-positive charge, α particles have great ionising power, but their large mass results in very little penetration. Alpha irradiation, simulated by Earth nuclear sources, has pronounced effects on Arabidopsis thalina seedlings, both morphologically and physiologically (
Proton Radiation Stress
Proton Radiation Stress in Space
Proton radiation is, with varying intensity, found in the Inner and Outer Belt in the near-Earth related space (Table 3). Proton irradiation, simulated by Earth nuclear sources, showed a significant morphological effect on the germination of soybean growth, as well as on survival and growth of the seedlings (Figure 10) (
FIGURE 10

Abnormal phenotypes of proton beam-irradiated soybean cultivars. (A) Abnormal leaf (239 Gy), (B) abnormal stem (117 Gy), (C) variegated leaf (365 Gy), (D) bright green leaf (239 Gy) (
Beta Radiation Stress
Beta Radiation Stress in Space
Beta radiation is, found with varying intensity in the Inner and Outer Belts in the near-Earth-related space. Simulated by Earth nuclear sources, beta radiation stimulates the growth of Phaseolus vulgaris at a low dose, but damages roots and shoots, decreases the number of branches and leaves significantly, at high dose rates (
Gamma Radiation Stress
Occasionally, giant explosions called solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME) occur on the surface of the Sun and release massive amounts of energy out into space in the form of x-rays, gamma rays, and streams of protons and electrons called solar particle events (SPE) (
Gamma rays are not necessarily detrimental to crop growth. Seedlings exposed to relatively low doses of gamma rays (1–5 Gy) developed normally (Wi et al., 2007). Yet at higher doses, the destructive nature of gamma rays becomes evident. Exposure to gamma radiation is used as mechanism to mutagenise the genetic code of plants for breeding (
FIGURE 11

Schematic drawn from transmission electron micrographs of cell wall structures of Empire apples, showing the transition from fresh unirradiated cells towards gamma ray-irradiated cells (1 kGy) then stored for 6 weeks (
Stressors’ Impact on Plants Across Diverse Scales
Plant stress leads to plant changes on diverse levels of scale (Figure 12). It is relevant to transform the knowledge of stressor-induced plant changes into physiological targets for plant growth in space across these scales. Depending on the stressor, some scale-relevant changes are better documented than others (Table 4). On Earth, heat-, drought-, salt- and visible-light-induced stressors are well documented; the same holds for micro-gravity-induced stressors in space. The role of other radiation stressors than visible light, or of gas composition is less documented.
FIGURE 12

Macroscopic, mesoscopic and microscopic classification of changes of plants when exposed to various kinds of plant stressors.
TABLE 4
| Stressor | Macroscopical | Mesoscopical | Microscopical | Target function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | Soil temperature and air temperature | Photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration | Synthesis and transportation of organic matter | Plant growth |
| Absorption and transport of water and fertiliser | Cellular function | |||
| Metabolic processes | ||||
| Drought | Metabolic processes | Shoot growth | ||
| Absorbing water and minerals | Plant growth | |||
| Salt | Photosynthetic pigment loss and activity | Chlorophyll content | ||
| Stomatal processes | ||||
| Membrane instability | ||||
| Microgravity | Mechanical changes | Interactive effects | Chlorophyll content | |
| Overall mass and mass distribution, including bending stresses | ||||
| Atmospheric | Morphology | Vacuole appearance or embryo degeneration | Protein mass | Oxygen starvation |
| Thickening | ||||
| Growth and development | ||||
| Metabolic processes | ||||
| Visible light | Plant growth and development | Transmembrane and light-harvesting complexes mass | Chlorophyll content | Photoinhibition growth |
| Morphology | Sugar and proline content | Antioxidant capacity | ||
| Plant weight | CO2 absorption rate | Light use efficiency | ||
| Plant height | Enzyme function (nitrate reductase) | Productivity | ||
| Leaf area | Metabolic processes | Photosynthetic function, Chlorophyll formation, and Chloroplast development | ||
| Biomass | Protein content | Taste aromatic intensity | ||
| Flowering | Deformations on supramolecular structures such as organelles, membranes and epidermal structures | Photosynthetic rate | ||
| Seed abortion | Biomass allocation | Energy input | ||
| Seedling weight | Amounts of chlorophylls, carotenoids, lipids and galactolipids | Protein/nutrient content | ||
| Growth | Value components (proteins, lipids) | Timing of developmental phases | ||
| Weight | Deformations on supramolecular structures such as organelles and membranes | |||
| Leaf surface and area | ||||
| Visible macroscopic changes | ||||
| Plant form | ||||
| Gamma radiation | Growth | Chloroplasts and organelles mass | ||
| Alpha radiation | Growth | Reactive oxygen scavenging | ||
| DNA repair response | ||||
| Redox balance and photosynthesis | ||||
| Beta radiation | Growth | |||
| Root/Shoot Development number of branches and leaves | ||||
| Proton radiation | Morphology | Germination rate | Chlorophyll mutations | |
| Branch stem, leaves |
Stressors impacts on plants–investigated parameters on different scales.
Combined Effects of Stressors
As space-based plant-growing systems get more complicated, maintenance of the stability of growth conditions becomes more difficult to achieve. In general, whilst closed-loop systems may be easier to maintain, size or other constraints may necessitate the transition to more open systems. This increases the probability of both abiotic and biotic stressors as open systems are exposed to microbial disease outbreaks due to interactions between the crew-habitable modules and the plant-growth modules (Schuerger 2021). Thus space farming requires consideration of multiple combined stressors as well as the identification of which stressors may be tolerated and which must be limited.
Plants on Earth are exposed to a complex set of biotic and abiotic stressors and, in response, have developed a complex set of responses. Interactions of stressor effects common, however whether the response is additive or a result of more complex behavior, e.g. synergistic, plus the magnitude of damage and/or symptoms experiences, dependent upon the stressors and species in question. For example, the effect of salt stress will vary depending on climatic conditions, light intensity, plant species or soil conditions (Tang et al., 2015). Salt stress and CO2 concentration show interactive effects. In the halophyte Aster tripolium L. combined salt and CO2 stress was shown to affect plant growth, photosynthesis, water relations, and chemical composition (
Certain stressors are likely to occur in combination and elicit similar symptoms. Water deficit or drought stress restrict growth processes directly via turgor loss but also affect CO2 assimilation through stomatal closure and by reducing transpirational cooling, increasing leaf temperature (Tardieu et al., 2018). High temperatures commonly act in combination with drought, high light intensities and an increased water vapour deficit (
In space, the combination of stressors will likely differ than those on Earth. Plants grown under microgravity are subject to combined abiotic stressors which may promote microbial growth and thus disease severity. Aboard an 8-day mission on the NASA shuttle, Discovery, Wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Super Dwarf) developed girdling of leaf sheaths, chlorosis and necrosis of leaf and root tissues as a result of infection by fungal pathogen Neotyphodium chilense (
Whilst many of the stressors discussed in this review can be managed so as not to limit plant growth in space, large-scale tests for food production in reduced gravity are still lacking. Furthermore, a number of viable technologies for space agriculture need to be developed including optimised lighting; efficient irrigation and nutrient-delivery; and precise atmospheric controls for temperature, humidity and gas composition. Whether necessary growth resources are obtained via in situ resource utilisation or must be transported from Earth will also determine the overall design of future plant-growth habitats. Selecting the right crops to grow in space is also essential. Given the limited amount of room available on board a spacecraft, plants with reduced size but high yields need to be developed: for example, dwarf varieties of wheat, cherry tomato, rice, pepper, soybean and pea have been successfully grown in orbit and in simulated planetary habitats. The following section will discuss adaptive mechanisms and engineering approaches by which we can reduce plant stress.
Engineering and Adaptive Mechanisms to Reduce Stress–For Earth and Space
A key question of this review is, can space stressors be used positively for plant growth, or do we have to accept that space is a hostile environment? With the view that stressors usually have a negative impact, and that a positive Eustress still needs to be developed, the question is how to mitigate the threat of stressors. One way is shielding by construction material, both by outer shielding of a space habitat and inner shielding by means of a biogenerative life-support system. Such shielding has been achieved to a certain degree for existing spacecrafts. For example, while the International Space Station (ISS) is able to mitigate stressor impacts by heat, air, and other control management systems, this nonetheless does not come to a zero level. Thus, conditions on the ISS and other spacecraft still differ from those on Earth.
Yet, there is some indication that some of the space stressors can be used as Eustress, or have negligible impact on plant growth as long as other conditions are maintained as witnessed for hypobaria (Atmospheric Stress—low Pressure or Atmospheres of Different Composition). This can be conceptualised with examples from radiation, the features of which differ greatly in space compared to Earth (Radiation Stress). One solution would be toeliminate radiation entirely via shielding, with growth radiation applied via LEDs. An alternative approach would be to explore how to modulate the existing space radiation to stimulate plant growth, e.g. concerning certain stages of development, earlier flowering, and lateral bud development (
Another solution is that the plant itself may acclimate to the new conditions or stress-related signalling pathways may be altered to improve resilience. The signalling of a stress event, whether abiotic or biotic has been well established and this normally takes the form of calcium, ROS, hydraulic signals (
These signalling mechanisms can be exploited or improved to maximise productivity under space conditions. Modern gene manipulation may have a pivotal role for photoprotective pathways to increase the speed of response to changes in light intensity and to increase the crop yield, as shown in the examples of Tobacco (Nicotinia) and rice (Oryza sativa) (
Conclusion
Plant stressors will happen in space in a way we cannot predict,yet, we must rely on Earth experiences as the first and best approximation. Here, Earth stressors and known Space stressors have been summed up, and perspectives for translation to plant growth have been given. We have aimed to provide insight to above space stressor problem from the standpoint of both biologists and system engineers. Much is known about common stressors on Earth such as visible light stress, thermal stress, drought and salinity. Many of these known stressors can be mitigated by proper systems engineering towards a biogenerative life-support system in space. The unknown impact is the effect of cosmic radiation, including alpha, beta, gamma, and x-ray irradiation unknown on Earth. We discuss ways in which the combination of these stressors may influence plant growth and the signalling and metabolic pathways involved in stress perception and response. Finally, we propose potential targets to engineer and manipulate the genetic composition of plants to improve adaptation to stress in space. As a first step, it might be sufficient to select those plants which are able to do best in space, based on the limited current knowledge from the wide selection of Earth plant varieties. It might be good to expose those plant species in a large experimental test on Earth over several years to the plant stressors expected for a Moon habitat and spacecraft travel to Mars. The plants that best resist the stress may be selected, and we may use those mutated species for our space journeys and exploration.
Outlook: “Space Cooking” and Note by Note Cooking
Space farming will finally produce new crops, meaning modifications not seen on Earth. The food need of astronauts in deep space explorations and long-term stay on extraterrestrial planets will likely be different from Earth. The ‘Moon cantina’ will not rely on Earth dishes such as pizza, steak, or Sushi. Thus, space farming will finally lead to a new type of cooking and dishes.
One way to consider that change would be based on cooked food supply from the first instance. On Earth, revolutionary cooking concepts have been proposed such as the Note-by-Note Cooking (NBN). Note by Note cuisine is a style of cooking based on molecular gastronomy (This, 2006; Rossi-Wilcox, 2007; This, 2007). Dishes are made using pure compounds instead of using animal or plant tissues. There is a big advantage in terms of water requirements, as there is no need to transport it when using NBN cooking. In principle, it can fully replace traditional food, as has been shown for coma patients in hospitals. In practical terms, NBN may rely on the cultivation of pulses, and extraction of proteins and polysaccharides (starch), followed by transfer of remaining plant residues to insects, so that they can make other proteins. This may be facilitated by the cultivation of genetically modified plants in order to produce the right cocktail of nutrients, in higher concentrations, supporting the NBN cooking.
Statements
Author contributions
VH: Conceptualization; Methodology; Investigation; Writing—Original Draft; Supervision. SL: Investigation; Writing—Original Draft. NT: Conceptualization; Methodology; Writing—Review and Editing. ME-G: Conceptualization; Visualization; Writing—Review and Editing. OZ: Conceptualization; Methodology; Writing—Review and Editing. MK: Conceptualization; Methodology; Writing—Review and Editing. ER: Conceptualization; Methodology; Writing—Review and Editing. HT: Conceptualization; Methodology; Writing—Review and Editing. SW: Conceptualization; Methodology; Writing—Review and Editing. IF: Conceptualization; Methodology; Writing—Review and Editing. MG: Writing—Original Draft; Supervision. AB: Conceptualization; Methodology; Investigation; Writing—Original Draft; Supervision.
Funding
VH acknowledges the financial support from The Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources (ATCSR) at The University of Adelaide, Australia. We also acknowledge the Adelaide-Nottingham joint PhD scholarship scheme.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Summary
Keywords
plant, stressors, space, farming, Earth, ecosystem
Citation
Hessel V, Liang S, Tran NN, Escribà-Gelonch M, Zeckovic O, Knowling M, Rebrov E, This H, Westra S, Fisk I, Gilliham M and Burgess A (2022) Eustress in Space: Opportunities for Plant Stressors Beyond the Earth Ecosystem. Front. Astron. Space Sci. 9:841211. doi: 10.3389/fspas.2022.841211
Received
22 December 2021
Accepted
15 February 2022
Published
08 March 2022
Volume
9 - 2022
Edited by
Olga V. Khabarova, Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation (RAS), Russia
Reviewed by
Fabrizio D'Aprile, Monash University, Australia
John Z. Kiss, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, United States
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© 2022 Hessel, Liang, Tran, Escribà-Gelonch, Zeckovic, Knowling, Rebrov, This, Westra, Fisk, Gilliham and Burgess.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Volker Hessel, volker.hessel@adelaide.edu.au; Alexandra Burgess, alexandra.burgess@nottingham.ac.uk
This article was submitted to Astrobiology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
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