A team of scientists from the University of Kent has successfully grown tea plants in simulated lunar soil, a breakthrough that could help future astronauts grow their own food on the Moon.
Working with Dartmoor Tea, nestled in South West England’s Dartmoor National Park, where they have been growing tea since 2015, the researchers planted tea saplings in soil that mimics the Moon’s surface. They found the plants not only survived but thrived, growing as well as those in regular soil. This promising result is part of a larger effort to understand how to sustain life in space. But, while the lunar soil was a success, plants in simulated Martian soil failed to grow.
The findings from this project, led by Professor Nigel Mason and Dr. Sara Lopez-Gomollon, also have applications here on Earth. By studying how the plants adapted to the harsh, barren soil, researchers are learning how to improve poor soil quality, a major challenge in agriculture due to climate change and over-farming.
Professor Mason noted that this early research is a crucial step toward building self-sufficient bases on the Moon, potentially allowing astronauts to enjoy “the great British tradition of a tea break.”