'Moon Rice' project develops rice varieties that grow in microgravity

In a new step toward sustainable space travel, scientists from the Moon-Rice project are developing microscopic, protein-rich rice that can grow in microgravity. The collaborative effort between the Italian Space Agency and three Italian universities aims to produce a fresh, nutrient-rich food source for astronauts.

Scientists on the Moon-Rice project are developing a microscopic, protein-rich strain of rice that can grow in microgravity.

“Living in space means recycling resources and sustainability,” said Marta Del Bianco, a plant biologist at the Italian Space Agency. “We are trying to solve the same problems on Earth.”

One major challenge is plant size. Even many of today’s dwarf rice varieties are too large to grow efficiently on the space station. The project aims to breed “super dwarf rice” that grows to just 10 centimeters tall, but still produces high yields. Shrinking plants by manipulating the hormone gibberellin often makes it difficult for them to germinate and grow, Del Bianco explains. So space-grown rice needs to be not only small, but also healthy and nutritious.

The three Italian universities working on the research are the University of Milan, which specializes in rice genetics, the University of Rome “Sapienza”, which focuses on plant physiology, and the University of Naples “Federico II”, which has extensive experience in space crop production. Scientists have screened rice varieties with extremely low mutations and are working on gene editing to optimize plant structure. In parallel, they are also working on increasing protein content by adjusting the ratio of protein-rich germ to starch.

To simulate microgravity, Del Bianco’s team placed the plants on a rotating device that caused them to lose their orientation up and down. “This is the only way we can do it on Earth, because testing in real space is very complicated and expensive,” she said.

In addition to its nutritional value, fresh rice also provides important mental benefits. “Watching and caring for plants grow helps maintain mental health,” says Del Bianco. “On long missions, eating only packaged food can be stressful… If we create an environment that nurtures both the physical and the mental, we reduce the risk of error – and in space, a small mistake can cost a life.”

The Moon-Rice project also promises applications for Earth, helping to grow crops in the Arctic, deserts or places with limited space.

The research was presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Experimental Biology in Antwerp, Belgium, on July 9.

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