By Chlewis
While grocery shoppers in North Carolina and throughout the country are concerned about iceberg lettuce being contaminated with cyclospora, NC State University student Sawyer Exum is focused on how two other varieties of lettuce — Outredgeous and Dragoon — can tolerate high amounts of ammonium as a nitrogen source in hydroponic systems in outer space.
Exum, a biological and agricultural engineering technology major, spent this summer tackling the challenge of growing out-of-this-world leafy greens during an internship at NASA, working alongside scientists and experts researching space crop production under simulated International Space Station (ISS) conditions. One of the crops they’re studying is Outredgeous lettuce, a bright red, sweet-tasting variety that made history in 2015 as the first plant grown and eaten by astronauts aboard the ISS.
“I manage hydroponic systems in simulated International Space Station conditions by elevating carbon dioxide levels to around 3,000 parts per million,” Exum says. “My tasks include monitoring pH, electrical conductivity and temperature; planting and harvesting; data analysis; calibrating sensors; troubleshooting issues with the pH control system by finding any bugs with the code or updating the automation with changes when needed; fixing frayed wires or cleaning sensor electrodes when necessary; and working with lab equipment like spectrophotometers to determine concentrations of chemical compounds in a nutrient solution like ammonium or nitrate.”
His work with lettuce has opened up a world of possibilities for Exum to explore new methods for hydroponic systems.
Source : ncsu.edu