De Francesco Sara, Le Disquet Isabel, Pereda-Loth Veronica, Tisseyre Lenka, De Pascale Stefania, Amitrano Chiara, Carnero Diaz Eugénie, De Micco Veronica
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy.
Institute of Systematic, Evolution, Biodiversity of Sorbonne University, 75005 Paris, France.
Plants (Basel). 2024 Dec 28;14(1):64. doi: 10.3390/plants14010064.
Plants in space face unique challenges, including chronic ionizing radiation and reduced gravity, which affect their growth and functionality. Understanding these impacts is essential to determine the cultivation conditions and protective shielding needs in future space greenhouses. While certain doses of ionizing radiation may enhance crop yield and quality, providing "functional food" rich in bioactive compounds, to support astronaut health, the combined effects of radiation and reduced gravity are still unclear, with potential additive, synergistic, or antagonistic interactions. This paper investigates the combined effect of chronic ionizing radiation and reduced gravity on seed germination and microgreens growth. Four cultivation scenarios were designed: standard Earth conditions, chronic irradiation alone, simulated reduced gravity alone, and a combination of irradiation and reduced gravity. An analysis of the harvested microgreens revealed that growth was moderately reduced under chronic irradiation combined with altered gravity, likely due to oxidative stress, primarily concentrated in the roots. Indeed, an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed, as well as of polyphenols, likely to counteract oxidative damage and preserve the integrity of essential structures, such as the root stele. These findings represent an important step toward understanding plant acclimation in space to achieve sustainable food production on orbital and planetary platforms.
太空中的植物面临着独特的挑战，包括长期电离辐射和重力降低，这会影响它们的生长和功能。了解这些影响对于确定未来太空温室中的种植条件和防护屏蔽需求至关重要。虽然一定剂量的电离辐射可能会提高作物产量和品质，提供富含生物活性化合物的“功能性食品”以支持宇航员的健康，但辐射和重力降低的综合影响仍不明确，可能存在相加、协同或拮抗作用。本文研究了长期电离辐射和重力降低对种子萌发和嫩苗生长的综合影响。设计了四种种植方案：标准地球条件、单独长期辐照、单独模拟重力降低以及辐照与重力降低相结合。对收获的嫩苗进行分析发现，在长期辐照并伴有重力改变的情况下，生长适度降低，这可能是由于氧化应激，主要集中在根部。事实上，观察到活性氧（ROS）以及多酚类物质的积累，多酚类物质可能是为了对抗氧化损伤并维持重要结构（如根中柱）的完整性。这些发现是朝着理解植物在太空中的适应性迈出的重要一步，目的是在轨道和行星平台上实现可持续的粮食生产。
