Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Seedling Responses in Microgravity Simulated by Clinostat – Plant Research in Space

Overview

Astronauts started growing various plants that provide nutritional and psychological benefits during their extended stay in the International Space Station. A constant supply of fertilizer is needed to grow food in space. Trifolium pratense, more commonly known as red clover is a legume-forming nitrogen-fixing symbiont with rhizobia that can make the growing medium or soil fertile, reducing the use of chemical fertilizer. However, the space environment with altered gravity or microgravity might influence the morphogenesis (growth and development) of red clover. I hypothesize that the growth and development of red clover roots and shoots are modified under microgravity. To test this hypothesis, I used a 2-Dclinostat with a horizontal rotational axis at three rotations per minute that simulated a microgravity environment. Using four trials, in an agar medium, I planted seventy-two (72) red clover seeds to compare the growth pattern of the roots and shoots of the seedlings, of which sixty-seven (67) were tested as five seeds did not germinate during the experiment. I placed the samples in a darkroom, supplied light using a grow light for 8 days at a constant humidity (40% RH) and temperature (21.1°C). I measured the root and shoot lengths and curvatures using ImageJ software. The average root length of the experimental and control was 15.58 mm, and 22.29 mm respectively. The average rate of growth (mm/hour) of the root in the experimental and control was 0.08 mm/hour, and 0.12 mm/hour respectively. Root and shoot curvature were measured by the linear distance or depth/actual length; thus, a smaller value indicates tighter curvatures. The roots from the experimental group show altered growth direction, with random and tight curvature compared to the control group; this can be seen through the curvature of the experimental group being 0.56 compared to the control group being 0.79. Similarly, the shoot (the plant stem with its appendages and leaves) experienced similar growing patterns. The average shoot length of the experimental and control was 16.63 mm and 25.24 mm respectively with average shoot rate of growth (mm/hour) of the experimental and control groups being 0.09 mm/hour and 0.13 mm/hour respectively. However, the shoot’s curvature in experimental and control groups were 0.68 and 0.67 which indicated that microgravity conditions did not disturb the growing patterns of the shoots. In conclusion, Trifolium pratense seedlings experience different growth and development under microgravity conditions.

Competition history

• JSHS 2022 Category not listed

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