Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have successfully grown chickpeas in simulated moon dirt, marking a potential step toward lunar farming. The experiment combined lunar regolith simulant with worm compost and fungi to enable plant growth in otherwise inhospitable conditions. While promising, further tests are needed to ensure the crops are safe and nutritious for astronauts.
As NASA gears up for the Artemis II mission and future lunar exploration, scientists are addressing the challenge of sustainable food production on the Moon. A recent study from the University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with Texas A&M University, demonstrates that chickpeas can be cultivated in simulated lunar regolith, the dusty surface material of the Moon.
Lunar regolith lacks the organic matter and microorganisms essential for plant growth and contains heavy metals that could harm plants. To overcome this, the research team used a simulant from Exolith Labs, designed to replicate Apollo mission samples. They mixed it with vermicompost—nutrient-rich material produced by red wiggler earthworms digesting organic waste, such as food scraps or discarded clothing. Chickpea seeds were coated with arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi, which form symbiotic relationships with plants to enhance nutrient absorption and reduce heavy metal uptake.
In experiments, chickpeas grew successfully in soil mixtures containing up to 75% simulated lunar regolith. Plants treated with fungi survived longer under stress than untreated ones, and the fungi established themselves in the simulant, suggesting a one-time introduction might suffice for lunar systems. The study, published in Scientific Reports, was initially self-funded by the researchers and later supported by a NASA FINESST grant.
Sara Santos, the principal investigator and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, emphasized the goal: "The research is about understanding the viability of growing crops on the Moon. How do we transform this regolith into soil? What kinds of natural mechanisms can cause this conversion?"
However, questions persist about the chickpeas' safety. Jessica Atkin, a doctoral candidate at Texas A&M and the paper's first author, noted: "We want to understand their feasibility as a food source. How healthy are they? Do they have the nutrients astronauts need? If they aren't safe to eat, how many generations until they are?" Future work will assess metal absorption and nutritional value to confirm viability for space missions.