Tomatoes on Mars: Heinz Scientists have grown tomatoes

Heinz sponsored research on growing tomatoes on Mars.

The American sauce maker Heinz has funded a study by Florida Institute of Technology experts on growing tomatoes in conditions close to Martian conditions. It turned out that future colonists would not have to deny themselves tomatoes and ketchup.

Possibilities to grow tomatoes on Mars?

One of the obstacles to any lengthy expedition to Mars is the logistical problem. If astronauts have to carry fuel, oxygen, water, parts and food with them, they may need an entire fleet of space trucks and tankers. To reduce costs, planners rely on the use of local resources. For example, the ability to grow food in the soil of Mars.

The connection between a movie and the Heinz scientists

The connection between a movie and the Heinz scientists.
In the movie “The Martian,” the protagonist planted potatoes in a greenhouse, but Heinz expects to provide future colonists with real ketchup. For promotional purposes, the company unveiled a “Martian version” of Heinz Tomato Ketchup, made from tomatoes grown in the same conditions that astronauts on Mars might have to deal with, New Atlas said.

“Red House” Greenhouse

The result of a two-year collaboration with scientists was the “Red House” greenhouse, in which scientists grew 30 bushes of tomatoes selected from the Heinz seed catalog. They were planted in 3.5 tons of soil identical to Martian soil: it was collected in the Mojave Desert and illuminated by red LEDs. The atmosphere, temperature and irrigation regime also matched the conditions of the Martian greenhouses.

Tomatoes in “Red House”

Thirty plants participated in the experiment. Scientists transplanted 450 bushes into separate buckets and watched their growth for 2000 hours. As a result, they harvested hundreds of tomatoes but noted that the yield of the second stage was worse than that of the first.

Improving productivity

Productivity may be possibly improved by planting tomatoes in the rows rather than in separate containers. This allows plants to exchange microbes and reduce the spread of disease.

The collected tomatoes were used to make a limited batch of ketchup bottled in specially designed “space” bottles. One of them was sent to an altitude of 37 km, where it was frozen to a temperature of -74 ° C. And they shot a promo video. Scientists from the United States have found a way to improve the quality of dry and stony Martian soil by adding symbiotic bacteria to it. Plants developed 75% better in the presence of microbes.