The research project will focus on the influence of simulated microgravity on the growth rate using clinorotation during the germination period of Arabidopsis.
Arabidopsis is a small, flowering plant that can be found in Eurasia and Africa. It is suitable for laboratory research, because of its short life cycle and small sequenced genome. The experiment includes germinating the seeds and exposing the seedlings to simulated gravity achieved by vertical rotation on a clinostat. Vertical rotation will establish a constantly changing gravity vector, creating an environment similar to microgravity. After a period of rotation, the seedlings will be planted and grown in a growth chamber to complete their life cycle. Growth will be measured and evaluated, comparing the samples exposed to microgravity and 1g gravity. It is expected to see a change in the direction of lateral growth, as well as a vertically increased growth rate of the samples exposed to vertical clinorotation.
This experiment is important to the field because it will give us insight into the effects of microgravity on plant growth, which will be valuable when thinking about long term space travel and the availability of nutrition. The more studies conducted on this topic, the more prepared current, and future researchers will be in growing plants in microgravity conditions.