Microbial monitoring in the EDEN ISS greenhouse, a mobile test facility in Antarctica ...

• Main Authors: Fahrion, Jana, Fink, Carina, Zabel, Paul, Schubert, Daniel, Mysara, Mohamed, Van Houdt, Rob, Eikmanns, Bernhard, Beblo-Vranesevic, Kristina, Rettberg, Petra
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universität Ulm 2020
• Subjects: EDEN ISS; greenhouse; surfaces; phyllosphere; space exploration; DDC 570 / Life sciences; DDC 580 / Botanical sciences; International Space Station; Space stations; Plants; Bacteria; Greenhouse gardening; ISS; Pflanzenbau; Gewächshauspflanzen; Phyllosphäre; Antarctic; Neumayer; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.18725/oparu-42883; https://oparu.uni-ulm.de/xmlui/handle/123456789/42959

The EDEN ISS greenhouse, integrated in two joined containers, is a confined mobile test facility in Antarctica for the development and optimization of new plant cultivation techniques for future space programs. The EDEN ISS greenhouse was used successfully from February to November 2018 for fresh food production for the overwintering crew at the Antarctic Neumayer III station. During the 9 months of operation, samples from the different plants, from the nutrition solution of the aeroponic planting system, and from diverse surfaces within the three different compartments of the container were taken [future exploration greenhouse (FEG), service section (SS), and cold porch (CP)]. Quantity as well as diversity of microorganisms was examined by cultivation. In case of the plant samples, microbial quantities were in a range from 102 to 104 colony forming units per gram plant material. Compared to plants purchased from a German grocery, the produce hosted orders of magnitude more microorganisms than the EDEN ISS ...