Scientists harvest 1st vegetables in Antarctic greenhouse

BERLIN (AP) — Scientists in Antarctica have harvested their first crop of vegetables grown without earth, daylight or pesticides as part of a project designed to help astronauts cultivate fresh food on other planets.

Researchers at Germany’s Neumayer Station III say they’ve picked 3.6 kilograms (8 pounds) of salad greens, 18 cucumbers and 70 radishes grown inside a high-tech greenhouse as temperatures outside dropped below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit).

The German Aerospace Center DLR, which coordinates the project, said Thursday that by May scientists hope to harvest 4-5 kilograms of fruit and vegetables a week.

While NASA has successfully grown greens on the International Space Station, DLR’s Daniel Schubert says the Antarctic project aims to produce a wider range of vegetables that might one day be grown on Mars or the Moon.

Comments (0)

This post does not have any comments. Be the first to leave a comment below.


Post A Comment

You must be logged in before you can post a comment. Login now.

Featured Product

Cree LED J Series® LEDs: Precision Spectrums for Horticulture

Cree LED J Series® LEDs: Precision Spectrums for Horticulture

Cree LED's J Series LEDs offer high-efficacy 2835, 3030 and 5050 packages tailored for horticulture, greenhouse, vertical farming and aquaculture applications. Designed with plant and animal performance in mind - not human vision - these LEDs deliver application-specific spectral content, superior energy efficiency and long operating lifetimes. The latest JB3030C 3V E Class Photophyll™ Select LEDs feature advanced broad-spectrum output with optimized blue and green wavelengths, delivering industry-leading performance in a footprint compatible with 301B/H. Ideal for maximizing growth and yield, Cree LED brings reliability and innovation to agricultural lighting.