group
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Ryan Rednick, Junior Stefani Capasso Villanueva, Junior
Lead Presenter's Name
Ryan Rednick
Faculty Mentor Name
Hugo Castillo
Abstract
Martian regolith lacks the organic matter and microbial activity required to sustain plant growth, presenting a major challenge for bioregenerative agriculture in space. This study examined how organic waste amendments influenced the nutrient availability and microbial ecology of Martian regolith simulant (MGS-1). The researchers hypothesized that the addition of manure would enhance the simulant’s fertility and microbial diversity, improving its ability to support plant growth. Mizuna mustard (Brassica rapa var. japonica) was cultivated in unamended MGS-1, in mixtures of MGS-1 and manure at 90:10, 80:20, and 70:30 (v/v), and in potting soil as a positive control. A negative control using MGS-1 without seeds was included to assess microbial activity in the absence of plant influence. The gradient of manure concentrations was designed to identify an effective ratio for germination and to evaluate the effects of organic enrichment. Endpoints included germination rate, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and extractable microbial community DNA for downstream sequencing. Preliminary chemical analysis tested how manure amendment affected the pH of selected ratios to determine whether higher manure concentrations altered germination conditions. The study aimed to characterize how manure concentration influenced microbial community structure and organic matter decomposition. The findings were intended to inform strategies for establishing root-associated microbial ecosystems capable of driving nutrient cycling and supporting sustainable plant growth in Martian regolith environments."
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Turning Martian Regolith into Soil: Testing Organic Waste for Sustainable Plant Growth
Martian regolith lacks the organic matter and microbial activity required to sustain plant growth, presenting a major challenge for bioregenerative agriculture in space. This study examined how organic waste amendments influenced the nutrient availability and microbial ecology of Martian regolith simulant (MGS-1). The researchers hypothesized that the addition of manure would enhance the simulant’s fertility and microbial diversity, improving its ability to support plant growth. Mizuna mustard (Brassica rapa var. japonica) was cultivated in unamended MGS-1, in mixtures of MGS-1 and manure at 90:10, 80:20, and 70:30 (v/v), and in potting soil as a positive control. A negative control using MGS-1 without seeds was included to assess microbial activity in the absence of plant influence. The gradient of manure concentrations was designed to identify an effective ratio for germination and to evaluate the effects of organic enrichment. Endpoints included germination rate, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and extractable microbial community DNA for downstream sequencing. Preliminary chemical analysis tested how manure amendment affected the pH of selected ratios to determine whether higher manure concentrations altered germination conditions. The study aimed to characterize how manure concentration influenced microbial community structure and organic matter decomposition. The findings were intended to inform strategies for establishing root-associated microbial ecosystems capable of driving nutrient cycling and supporting sustainable plant growth in Martian regolith environments."