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Vegetables: The Next Generation

Astronauts grow vegetables in space

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

When orbiting the Earth 400km (248mi) away, fresh produce can be hard to come by.

Or at least it was.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station enjoyed taking a bite out of red romaine lettuce, the first time any food has been grown, harvested and eaten in space.

"Growing food to supplement and minimize the food that must be carried to space will be increasingly important on long-duration missions," said Shane Topham, an engineer with Space Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University in Logan. "We also are learning about the psychological benefits of growing plants in space -- something that will become more important as crews travel farther from Earth."

The experiment, known as Lada Validating Vegetable Production Unit – Plants, Protocols, Procedures and Requirements (Lada) began in 2002 and was mainly used to study plant growth in space.

On July 8th, 2015, the romaine lettuce was planted using a growth system called Veggie and was harvested 33 days later after consistent watering.

Veggie is a collapsible system that shines red and blue LEDs onto pre-made seed  “pillows”. It produced crops in 2014 but they had to be sent back to Earth for testing to ensure they were safe to eat.

Before eating the current crops, astronauts must first wipe them down with sanitizing wipes.

NASA is now in the process of sending flowers to the ISS for more experimentation that could help astronauts and people on Earth.

“They’re going to see how the flowers pollinate within a zero gravity state and study that,” said Paul Zamprelli from Orbitec. “(It’s) very important as well because of the pollination for fruit and future things.”

Zamprelli said countries like Dubai, who because of their climate rely heavily on importing most of their produce, could benefit from a Veggie-like system because it would allow them to make use of their sunlight and water in a controlled environment.

Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts on astronauts growing food in space. Is that something you ever thought was possible?


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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