Composition and physical properties of starch in microgravity-grown plants.

The effect of spaceflight on starch development in soybean (Glycine max L., BRIC-03) and potato (Solanum tuberosum, Astroculture-05) was compared with ground controls by biophysical and biochemical measurements. Starch grains from plants from both flights were on average 20-50% smaller in diameter than ground controls. The ratio delta X/delta rho (delta X --difference of magnetic susceptibilities, delta rho--difference of densities between starch and water) of starch grains was ca. 15% and 4% higher for space-grown soybean cotyledons and potato tubers, respectively, than in corresponding ground controls. Since the densities of particles were similar for all samples (1.36 to 1.38 g/cm3), the observed difference in delta X/delta rho was due to different magnetic susceptibilities and indicates modified composition of starch grains. In starch preparations from soybean cotyledons (BRIC-03) subjected to controlled enzymatic degradation with alpha-amylase for 24 hours, 77 +/- 6% of the starch from the flight cotyledons was degraded compared to 58 +/- 12% in ground controls. The amylose content in starch was also higher in space-grown tissues. The good correlation between the amylose content and delta X/delta rho suggests, that the magnetic susceptibility of starch grains is related to their amylose content. Since the seedlings from the BRIC-03 experiment showed elevated post-flight ethylene levels, material from another flight experiment (GENEX) which had normal levels of ethylene was examined and showed no difference to ground controls in size distribution, density, delta X/delta rho and amylose content. Therefore the role of ethylene appears to be more important for changes in starch metabolism than microgravity.

Blue light requirements for crop plants used in bioregenerative life support systems.

As part of NASA's Advanced Life Support Program, the Breadboard Project at Kennedy Space Center is investigating the feasibility of using crop plants in bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) for long-duration space missions. Several types of electric lamps have been tested to provide radiant energy for plants in a BLSS. These lamps vary greatly in terms of spectral quality resulting in differences in growth and morphology of the plants tested. Broad spectrum or "white" light sources (e.g., metal halide and fluorescent lamps) provide an adequate spectrum for normal growth and morphology; however, they are not as electrically efficient as are low-pressure sodium (LPS) or high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. Although LPS and HPS, as well as the newly tested red light-emitting diodes (LEDs), have good photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) efficiencies, they are deficient in blue light. Results with several of the crops tested for BLSS (wheat, potato, soybean, lettuce, and radish) have shown a minimum amount of blue light (approximately 30 micromoles m-2 s-1) is necessary for normal growth and development. For example, the lack of sufficient blue light in these lamps has resulted in increased stem elongation and significant reductions in photosynthesis and yield. To avoid problems with blue-deficient lamps and maximize yield, sufficient intensity of HPS or blue light supplementation with red LEDs or LPS lamps is required to meet spectral requirements of crops for BLSS.

Life cycle experiments with Arabidopsis grown under red light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Light-emitting diodes (LEDS) are a potential lighting source for space-based plant growth systems because of their small mass, operational longevity, and spectral quality. However, the vegetative and reproductive growth and development of plants grown under narrow spectrum LEDs must be characterized before acceptance of LEDS as an alternative light source for growing plants. The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the feasibility of using red LEDS for growing Arabidopsis thaliana L. through a full seed-bearing generation, and 2) to determine if supplemental blue radiation is necessary for growth and seed production. Arabidopsis grown under red LEDS alone produced viable seed, but these plants had abnormal leaf morphology and delayed flowering in comparison to control plants grown under broad spectrum white light or red LEDS supplemented with blue light.