ALBAWABA - Alper Gezeravcı, the first Turkish astronaut, embarks on a groundbreaking experiment aboard the International Space Station (ISS), focusing on plants subjected to salt stress. This unique initiative holds promise for shaping agricultural practices in potential future colonies on celestial bodies such as the Moon and Mars.
The experiment, titled "Exploring How Schrenkiella Parvula Adapts to Salt Stress in Space," is spearheaded by Prof. Dr. İsmail Türkan, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies at Yaşar University, in collaboration with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rengin Özgür Uzilday and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Uzilday from Ege University.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Uzilday, a crucial member of the research team, shared insights into the experiment's goals, emphasizing the plant's potential role in addressing soil salinity challenges in agriculture. He highlighted the significance of understanding how "Schrenkiella Parvula" adapts to salty environments and its possible application in future space exploration efforts.
Uzilday elaborated on the experiment's key focus, aiming to determine whether the plant can sustain its stress tolerance in microgravity conditions resembling those of Earth. The findings will unravel metabolic changes occurring in the plant's cells during exposure to salt stress under both Earth's gravity and microgravity.
Approximately 120 seeds of "Schrenkiella Parvula" were sent to the Kennedy Space Center, then transported to the ISS. Astronaut Alper Gezeravcı oversees the growth conditions necessary for the plant's germination in the unique environment of space.
Researchers anticipate that the experiment's outcomes will provide valuable insights into the plant's ability to withstand salt stress in microgravity, contributing essential data for potential agricultural practices in space environments, especially on the Moon and Mars.
