[Possibility of using higher plants in a life-support system on the moon]

The paper discusses the possibility of repeated termination of plant vegetation by prolonged darkness approximating the lunar night. This may be helpful for the incorporation of higher plants into the life support system of lunar bases, the solar light being used for illumination. In this connection vegetables (beet Bordeaux, turnip Petrovskaya, carrot Chantanet, dill, radish Virovsky white) and wheat (variety Sonora) were cultivated during the lunar light-dark cycle (i. e. 15 day light: 15 day dark). The experiments demonstrated that traditional plant products can be obtained under the conditions of lunar photoperiod. Grain of wheat grown during the lunar photoperiod were tested as seed material for further cultivation under similar conditions.