Maxwell Mearns SACE No.

937651R

From Red Planet to Green Harvest: Advancements in Martian

Agriculture for Sustainable Food Production
Introduction
Humanity's desire to colonise Mars has been evident for decades, being shown in media as early as the beginning of the 20th
century, with films such as A Trip to Mars (1910). One limitation experienced since researching the viability of living on Mars is
the lack of food present, and the difficulty of cultivating food in such a harsh environment. In recent years, advancements in
these issues have been found that could prepare the land for human civilisation, not without the drawbacks of social and
economic pressures.

Background Chemistry
in order for plants to grow, they require multiple essential nutrients from their soil, these include nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium in large amounts, calcium, magnesium, sulphur and small amounts of iron, boron, manganese, molybdenum,
chlorine, copper, and zinc. On Earth, these nutrients are found in abundance from a combination of 'mineral matter', 'organic
matter', air, and water. This mineral component makes up about 45% of the soil on Earth and is a mixture of clay, silt, sand and
small particles of weathered down rock from the Earth's surface, mineral matter is a source of the majority of nutrients needed
to sustain plant life. In comparison, the dirt on Mars is composed of 98% mineral matter, with a large amount of iron oxide,
giving it the signature red colour.

Organic matter is essential to plant growth as it allows for the absorption and use of essential nutrients and provides energy (in
the form of carbon) to both plants and microorganisms within soil. Earth's soil contains about 5% of organic matter and provides
structure. This includes broken down plant matter, waste material of animals, and decomposing animals. Organic matter is a
major contributor to the essential nutrients of plants as there is an overlap between what animals need to survive and what
plants require to grow.

Plants require carbon dioxide to produce energy through photosynthesis. This is provided from the air that fill in gaps in soil and
tend to be found in higher concentrations than in the atmosphere. Air and water make up around 50% of the soil on earth, with
the ratio of the two fluctuating as water is added and evaporates. As well as being essential to plants, air, and water provide an
environment that can host microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, which are essential for healthy plant growth as they
decompose organic matter in order for the nutrients to be reused by other organisms or plants. The most important function of
certain bacteria are 'nitrogen fixation', a process that converts the nitrogen gas in the atmosphere into a form that can be
absorbed by plants.

Development
Astrobiology students at Villanova have undertaken an investigation beginning in 2017 as to which vegetables can be grown in
Mars regolith. Throughout these experiments success rates were initially low, as the Mars soil simulant (MSS) used was found to
be too dense for growth, as well as lacking the essential organic material, and having too low amounts of most nutrients
required (Lets Talk Science, 2021). These issues were remedied by adding potting soil to the MSS and resulted in a much higher
success rate (Englin, Engle, & Guinan, 2020). A later study suggested that cyanobacteria (commonly called blue-green algae),
could also be used to produce organic molecules from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to then be used by plants as a more
self-reliant alternative to potting soil (Frazer & Newman, 2023).

Cyanobacteria has also been found to have further benefits, something that has previously not have been found is the solution
to neutralising the toxic perchlorate-laced dust present throughout the planet, this being a first step towards utilising the dirt on
Mars as perchlorate is toxic to humans even in small quantities (Frazer & Newman, 2023).

Throughout the tests done, it was found that low-calorie vegetables that do not require full sun were able to grow in these
conditions, such as micro greens, lettuce, rocket, spinach, peas, garlic, kale and onions. In particular, it was discovered that
dandelions are extremely well suited to growing in MSS, this 'weed' is already known to grow under many different harsh
conditions and the entire plant is edible.

While the majority of research has been focused on plants, protein is an important part of the human diet. Alternatives to
traditional agriculture have been studied as a less cruel method of obtaining meat. In supermarkets on Earth, mycoprotein has
already been used as an alternative protein source (Bergentall, 2019), this protein is created by precision fermentation, a
Maxwell Mearns SACE No. 937651R

process where modified microorganisms (yeast, fungus and bacteria) consume sugars and starches and transform them into
usable proteins (Frazer & Newman, 2023). This can then be used by food 3D printers to create many desirable recipes, which has
been previously effective with standard 3D printers being used in space since 2016. Another method of producing protein is
through cellular agriculture, a process where stem cells are grown to create food, from meat identical to that obtained through
the farming of animals (Bergentall, 2019)(Frazer & Newman, 2023)(Choi, 2019), to staples such as milk and eggs being made
without the need for livestock (Choi, 2019).

Influence
While in theory it is possible to be able to sustain a colony on Mars given the technology currently available, public opinion and
costs play a massive part in what gets implemented.

As previously stated, it is possible to modify Mars regolith in order to sustain plant life, however, there are already systems used
on Earth to grow plants hydroponically (in water) and aeroponically (in air) that would be substantially cheaper and more space
efficient than changing the dirt. It is estimated that even if it becomes simpler to grow plants in Mars regolith, it is likely that
initially all crops will be grown hydroponically (Guppy & Flavel, 2022). However, these methods also have their costly drawbacks.
In order to create appropriate systems, lots of material (trays, pumps, reservoirs, etc.) will need to be shipped, costing more
fuel, space, and ultimately money.

Despite the economic limitations, the discoveries on sustaining life on Mars can be applied to Earth, as civilisation will be forced
to minimise waste due to lack of disposable materials, the methods can then be used on Earth, allowing for less money to be
wasted, and costs to decrease.

Social constructs and public opinion may be the biggest barrier to providing food for people on Mars. The logical option for a
primary source of protein is bug farming, as it the most cost and space effective option. However, most people have an aversion
to eating bugs, as it is deemed unhygienic and gross. This aversion to eating bugs is what has driven research into alternative
protein sources, despite the costs. Further, people prefer to maintain a diet they are familiar with, as there are other significant
changes to the way of living. Having familiar meals provides comfort in a strange environment. With some vegetables not being
viable in a Martian environment, and likely lower grain consumption compared to those on Earth, having to substitute a major
part of people's diets with something so undesirable would likely lead to malnutrition initially as there is no other source of
protein. Thus, lab-grown meat and 3D printed food, as they would provide a much more familiar diet.

Currently the cost between lab-grown meat and agricultural meat are not extremely far apart. With further development in lab-
grown meat, the cost can be reduced enough that a pound of lab-grown meat costs the same amount of money, or cheaper
than agricultural meat. This would likely increase its popularity with animal activists on Earth as the meat industry is associated
with unnecessary animal cruelty, and lab-grown meat would provide a cruelty-free alternative. However with lower amounts of
farmland comes with more space to simply 'pave over' reducing the amount of natural land on Earth.

Conclusion
Human fascination with Mars has persisted for decades leading to advancements towards addressing the challenges of
cultivating food in the harsh Martian environment, offering hope for the future possibility of visiting and establishing settlements
on the red planet. While the composition of mars regolith presents obstacles for plant growth, experiments have shown that
adding potting soil or utilising cyanobacteria can improve production. Certain vegetables and alternative protein sources such as
mycoprotein and lab-grown meat have shown promise in adapting to Martian conditions. However, economic considerations,
public opinion, and societal preferences regarding food choice prove to be significant barriers. The knowledge gained from
working towards sustaining life on Mars can be applied to Earth, driving advancements in waste reduction and more sustainable
practices, pushing benefits beyond the Red Planet.

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Maxwell Mearns SACE No. 937651R

Bibliography

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