Advanced nutrient root-feeding system for conveyor-type cylindrical plant growth facilities for microgravity

Area of Science:

• Space Agriculture
• Controlled Environment Agriculture
• Plant Nutrition

Background:

• Space-based plant production requires compact, reliable automated systems for nutrient and water supply.
• Existing methods may face challenges in efficiency and resource management in extraterrestrial environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate an automatic nutrient root-feeding system for space greenhouses.
• To minimize and regulate nutrient and water supply while maintaining crop yields.

Main Methods:

• Utilized ion-exchange fibrous artificial soil (AS) BIONA-V3(TM) as the root medium.
• Incorporated slow-release fertilizer packs (N, P, K) and granular mineral-rich ionite (GMRI) cartridges (Ca, Mg, S, Fe).
• Employed a controller with an electrical conductivity meter to regulate solution flow and concentration.

Main Results:

• The fibrous AS maintained substrate solution pH between 6.0-6.6, optimal for most crops.
• The system effectively prepared nutrient solutions by pumping water through the GMRI cartridge.
• Demonstrated minimization of artificial soil stock required for space vehicles.

Conclusions:

• The developed nutrient delivery system is a compact and reliable solution for space greenhouses.
• This automated method ensures efficient nutrient and water management, supporting sustained crop production in space.
• The system's design facilitates reduced resource requirements for long-duration space missions.