Scientists grow potato under Mars-like conditions in Peru

[Judi Lynn]

AFP
March 11, 2017


LIMA: Potatoes on Mars? Scientists are reporting promising results growing the tuber under conditions that mimic the Red Planet in an experiment in Peru linked to US space agency NASA.

"Preliminary results are positive," the International Potato Center (CIP) said this week after a potato grew under simulated Mars atmospheric conditions in an experiment in Lima.

The CIP, in a report, said a potato was planted in a specially constructed CubeSat contained environment built by engineers from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lima.

. . .

"Growing crops under Mars-like conditions is an important phase of this experiment," said Julio Valdivia-Silva, a Peruvian astrobiologist at UTEC in Lima who previously worked at NASA.

More:
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/191663-Scientists-potato-Mars-like-conditions-Peru

[Warpy]

1. Potatoes are hardy little buggers

and many varieties grow in the thin air, poor soil and arid conditions high up in the Andes.

They still do require some water, and Martian water contaminated by permanganates probably won't work.

It's a good first effort, though.

[csziggy]

2. Matt Damon already showed us how to do it

Fact checked:

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Now try sweet potatoes -- much more nutritious. nt