🌱 Lunar Agriculture: First Harvest of "Lunar Chickpeas"

When anticipating the daily life of astronauts during future long-duration missions on the Moon, a central question emerges: how could they access fresh food, without relying solely on resupplies from Earth? Scientists provide an answer by successfully growing chickpeas in an artificial soil recreating the lunar surface.

This experiment, conducted by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, used a material reproducing lunar regolith, that layer of dust and rocks covering our satellite. For the first time, a chickpea crop was grown to completion until harvest, as evidenced by their study published in Scientific Reports.


Lunar soil is very different from that of our planet. Indeed, it contains no organic matter or microorganisms beneficial to plants, and it contains potentially toxic heavy metals. To make this environment more hospitable, scientists incorporated vermicompost, a rich amendment produced by earthworms. This addition provides essential nutrients and introduces a microbial community that facilitates plant development.

Another important element was the use of mycorrhizal fungi, applied to the seeds before sowing. These fungi form a symbiotic association with the chickpea roots. They improve nutrient absorption while restricting the plant's uptake of heavy metals, thereby increasing its chances of survival.

Observations indicate that chickpeas can grow in mixtures containing up to 75% simulated lunar soil. Beyond this threshold, the plants encountered difficulties and perished prematurely. However, the subjects treated with the fungi survived longer, validating the benefit of this association. The researchers also noted that these fungi established themselves durably in the artificial soil.

Regarding irrigation, an adaptation was necessary to overcome the limitations of the substrate, which retains water poorly. A system of cotton wicks was therefore designed to deliver moisture directly to the roots. This technical approach shows the possibility of considering relatively simple solutions to enable crop growth in space.


While producing a harvest is a notable step, it remains to be evaluated whether these chickpeas are edible and nutritious. The next analyses will focus on their heavy metal content and nutritional value.