[Development of a cultivation technology and selection of leaf vegetable cultures for space greenhouse]. / Razrabotka tekhnologii vyrashchivaniia i vybor ovoshchnykh listovykh kul'tur dlia kosmicheskikh oranzherei.

We plan to perform space experiments on development of a technology for cultivation of leaf vegetables that might be a component of future life support systems for space crews. For this purpose, we are going to fly research greenhouses with the crop area from 0.03 up to 0.1 m2 inside the universal docking module of the ISS Russian segment. To prepare for future space experiments, ground investigations were made in order to compare crop capacity of various artificial soils used to grow leaf vegetables in greenhouse Svet. Useful life of root module Svet can be extended with a new technology based on resupply of fibrous substrate with nutrients. The most effective volume of soil per a plant was determined which sustains high productivity of leaf vegetables in Svet. To select leaf vegetables for in-space cultivation, we conducted investigations of productivity, morphometric and biochemical characteristics, and palatability of 18 cultures including alternative greens highly popular in Japan and China which have been earlier tested neither in laboratory nor in space within the closed eco-system projects. We would prioritize mizuna, pak choi, tatsoi, rapina or broccoli raab, and red giant mustard as objects for in-space investigations.

[Characteristics of super dwarf wheat metabolism in microgravity]. / Osobennosti metabolizma superkarlikovoi pshenitsy v usloviiakh mikrogravitatsii.

Metabolism of sLt during Russian-US experiment GREENHOUSE-2 (July 9, 1996-January 17, 1997) within the MIR/NASA space research program and in laboratory Svet experiments in 1995-1996 was studied. Chemical, biochemical and pigment analyses of the flight and laboratory plants were made after the first (dry biomass) and second vegetation (photosynthetically active 41-d old plants). Data on the composition of leaves and stems of ground and flight wheat do not attest any biologically significant shifts in plant metabolism. There were slight changes in accumulation and migration of several macro- and microelements, protein nitrogen and phosphororganic compounds in microgravity. Lowered content of lignin, a critical supportive element for cellular walls was observed only during early stages of vegetation. In the Mir experiment, concentrations of photosynthetically active pigments also decreased a little but the chlorophyills-carotenoids balance was not upset.

[Evaluation of super dwarf wheat growth and development in greenhouse "Svet" during cultivation in inhabited pressurized chamber]. / Issledovanie rosta i razvitiia superkarlikovoi pshenitsy v oranzheree "Svet" pri kul'tivirovanii v obitaemom germoob''ekte.

Goals of the 3-month experiment GREENHOUSE using the equipment of greenhouse SVET (ECO-PSY-95) were to feature growth and development of wheat through the entire cycle of ontogeny under the maximally mimicked MIR environment, and to try out the procedures and timeline of space experiment GREENHOUSE-2 as a part of the fundamental biology investigations within the MIR/NASA space science program. Irradiation intensity (PAR) was 65 W/m2 and 38 W/m2 in the experiment and laboratory control, respectively. Values of other environmental parameters were MIR average (18-25 degrees C, relative air humidity in the interval between 40% and 75%, total gas pressure of about 660 to 860 mm Hg, partial oxygen pressure within the range from 140 to 200 mm Hg, partial carbon dioxide pressure up to 7 mm Hg). Experimental results showed that wheat cultivation in inhabited chamber under a modified lighting unit providing greater irradiation of the crop area produced more plant mass although seed production dropped. Low grain content in ears could be the aftermath of the gaseous trace contaminants in the chamber atmosphere.

[Study of the growth and development of Chlorella on "Kosmos-1887"]. / Issledovanie rosta i razvitiia khlorelly, éksponirovannoi na biosputnike "Kosmos-1887".

The growth, development and population characteristics of Chlorella cells flown for 13 days in space were investigated during their postflight cultivation. The growth rate of flown algae did not differ from that of ground-based controls in terms of increases in the cell number and biomass. All basic parameters of the specimens (generation time, number of developing autospores, time ratio of developmental phases) were ontogentically normal. Exposure of the algae to space flight as a component of the algobacterial cenosis--fish autotrophic-heterotrophic system produced no significant effect of the population or individual specimens during their postflight cultivation.