Plant Physiology and Chemical Engineering for Space Food Production

Plants in extreme environments have become a major focus in space research, especially in the context of long-duration space missions and the anticipated colonization of extraterrestrial habitats. These space environments present unique challenges, including microgravity, cosmic radiation, limited nutrient availability, and restricted water supply, that require a fundamental re-evaluation of plant biology and agricultural systems. Although experimental evidence suggests that some plants can germinate and develop under microgravity conditions, the quality and yield of edible products remain variable. Moreover, many physiological and biochemical processes are still not fully understood. Key questions remain regarding how plants perceive, respond to, and adapt their metabolic and biochemical pathways to survive and thrive under space-specific stressors.

Recent advances have demonstrated the potential to enhance plant resilience in space through the manipulation of hormone signaling pathways, optimization of nutrient delivery systems, and engineering of stress-responsive metabolic networks. Experiments aboard at the International Space Station have revealed significant alterations in secondary metabolite production, root system architecture, and water and nutrient transport mechanisms. However, current research efforts are often fragmented, addressing isolated environmental variables rather than the integrated and dynamic interactions between plant chemistry and complex space conditions. Major gaps remain in strategies to optimize biochemical pathways for improved yield, enhanced nutritional quality, and efficient resource use within the constraints of extraterrestrial agriculture. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated, multidisciplinary approaches to elucidate how chemical processes at the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels can be applied to support sustainable food production beyond Earth.

This Research Topic aims to advance both fundamental and applied understanding of the chemical and biochemical, and engineering processes underlying plant growth in space environments. It seeks to include perspectives from plant physiology, biochemistry, environmental science, and agricultural engineering to identify key molecular mechanisms that promote plant resilience, productivity, and nutritional value under extraterrestrial stress conditions.

Submissions are encouraged on topics including, but not limited to:

• Biochemical responses of plants to microgravity and cosmic radiation.
• Nutrient acquisition and metabolism optimization for closed-loop systems.
• Engineering plants for enhanced stress tolerance and nutritional quality for space conditions.
• Development and integration of hydroponic and advanced growth substrates for space environments.
• Genetic and metabolic modifications to enable continuous and reliable food production in extraterrestrial habitats.
• Analytical technologies for monitoring plant health and chemistry in extreme environments.


Topic Editor Prof. Volker Hessel serves as Chief Investigator and Program Lead 'Processes' at the ARC Centre of Excellence “Plants for Space” (P4S).

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Space agriculture, Microgravity plant biology, Extraterrestrial food production, Stress-resilient crop engineering

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.