Effect of environment on the free and peptide amino acids in rice, wheat, and soybeans

Controlled environments (CE) in which light, carbon dioxide, and nutrients are regulated are known to affect the chemical composition of plants. Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) environments are required for a Mars or lunar base where food resupply is both impractical and risky. Astronauts in a CELSS would need to grow and process edible biomass into foods. The complete nature of the changes in chemical composition of CE-grown plants is unknown but must be determined to ensure a safe and nutritionally adequate diet. In this article, we report the changes that occur in free and peptide-bound amino acids (AA) of select CELSS crops (rice, wheat, and soybean) grown in the field or in CE. The nonnitrate nonprotein nitrogen fraction was extracted and then analyzed for free and peptide AA. For grain or seeds, AA levels tended to increase from field to CE conditions; however, for vegetative material, AA levels remained the same or decreased from field to CE conditions. As such compositional changes are identified, researchers will be better able to design safe and nutritious diets for astronauts while minimizing needed energy and other resources.