The Effect of Nutrient Solutions on Improving Soil Fertility and Sustainable Agriculture of Martian Regolith Simulants

Savannah YooFollow

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

11th Grade

Presentation Topic

Botany

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

Humans have left a significant impact on the availability of natural resources on Earth. As humans continue to contribute to the decline of these resources that sustain life, it has become necessary to look towards alternative habitations for human life. For this purpose, a method for utilizing in situ resources for edible food with essential nutrients for the human diet is crucial. Due to the geochemical properties of Martian regolith inhibiting natural growth of plants (Wamelink et. al, 2019), determining nutrient materials and treatments aids in developing a strategy for sustainable agriculture. In the research experimentation, six groups of five plants of Petroselinum crispum were created: potting mix, Martian regolith, 20-20-20 All Purpose LX, biochar, cow manure, and organic matter. The potting mix was representative of plant growth expected under Earth conditions. The Martian regolith was used as a control with no additives. The treatment groups had a base of Martian regolith. Each treatment is composed of 10% of the base material. The plants were watered in time intervals of three days for a total growth duration of fifteen days. For each time interval, a sample of the soil of each plant was collected. A one way ANOVA test was conducted with an alpha value of 0.05, (F(4,20) = [1.7745], p = 0.1736), as p > 0.05 and the null hypothesis could not be rejected. Therefore, there was insufficient evidence to support that the treatment methods provided significant improvement to the growth experienced by the plants.

Location

RITA 281

Start Date

3-23-2024 11:00 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 23rd, 11:00 AM

The Effect of Nutrient Solutions on Improving Soil Fertility and Sustainable Agriculture of Martian Regolith Simulants

RITA 281

Humans have left a significant impact on the availability of natural resources on Earth. As humans continue to contribute to the decline of these resources that sustain life, it has become necessary to look towards alternative habitations for human life. For this purpose, a method for utilizing in situ resources for edible food with essential nutrients for the human diet is crucial. Due to the geochemical properties of Martian regolith inhibiting natural growth of plants (Wamelink et. al, 2019), determining nutrient materials and treatments aids in developing a strategy for sustainable agriculture. In the research experimentation, six groups of five plants of Petroselinum crispum were created: potting mix, Martian regolith, 20-20-20 All Purpose LX, biochar, cow manure, and organic matter. The potting mix was representative of plant growth expected under Earth conditions. The Martian regolith was used as a control with no additives. The treatment groups had a base of Martian regolith. Each treatment is composed of 10% of the base material. The plants were watered in time intervals of three days for a total growth duration of fifteen days. For each time interval, a sample of the soil of each plant was collected. A one way ANOVA test was conducted with an alpha value of 0.05, (F(4,20) = [1.7745], p = 0.1736), as p > 0.05 and the null hypothesis could not be rejected. Therefore, there was insufficient evidence to support that the treatment methods provided significant improvement to the growth experienced by the plants.