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Plants can metabolize carbon dioxide in the air to produce valuable oxygen, and can help control cabin humidity. [3] Growing plants in space may provide a psychological benefit to human spaceflight crews. [3] Usually the plants were part of studies or technical development to further develop space gardens or conduct science experiments. [1]
Plants grown inflight experience a microgravity environment, and plants grown on the surface of Mars experience approximately 1/3 the gravity that Earth plants do. However, plants experience normal growth given that directional light is provided. [10] Normal growth is classified as opposite root and shoot growth direction.
Due to the plants continuous fight against gravity, plants typically mature much more quickly than when grown in soil or other traditional hydroponic growing systems. [55] Because rotary hydroponic systems have a small size, they allow for more plant material to be grown per area of floor space than other traditional hydroponic systems.
This is periodically flooded for a short period with a nutrient solution pumped from a supply tank. The solution then is either pumped or flows by gravity back to the supply tank. This hydroponic growing system can be very effective for any size plants depending on space. The method is inefficient in its use of water and plant nutrient reagents.
Low-gravity environments present challenges such as efficient delivery of water and nutrients to plants, as well as the recovery of waste products. Food production in space also requires addressing issues like water management, minimizing water usage, and reducing system weight.
The ocean plays a key role in the water cycle as it is the source of 86% of global evaporation. [2] The water cycle involves the exchange of energy, which leads to temperature changes. When water evaporates, it takes up energy from its surroundings and cools the environment. When it condenses, it releases energy and warms the environment.
As a water molecule evaporates from the leaf's surface it pulls on the adjacent water molecule, creating a continuous water flow through the plant. [ 6 ] Two major factors influence the rate of water flow from the soil to the roots: the hydraulic conductivity of the soil and the magnitude of the pressure gradient through the soil.
A plant only reacts to gravity if the gravistimulation is maintained for longer than a critical amount of time, called the minimal presentation time (MPT). For many plant organs the MPT lies somewhere between 10 and 200 seconds, and therefore a clinostat should rotate on a comparable timescale in order to avoid a gravitropic response.