Romano, Leone Ermes (2024) Superfood for space: New method and system for automated cultivation of Wolffia globosa in human spaceflight. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Abstract

The PhD thesis of Leone Ermes Romano focused on new methods and systems for automated cultivation of Wolffia globosa in human Spaceflight, in frame of the "Superfood for Space" project, funded by ESA. The project's core involved assessing Wolffia's response to different gravity levels, crucial for space cultivation. The thesis is organized in four chapters. The first study highlighted the adaptability of Wolffia globosa to altered gravitational conditions, reinforcing its potential as a viable food source for space agriculture, and offers insights into plant growth and development in extraterrestrial environments, providing valuable information for future space missions and agricultural practices. In the second study a groundbreaking method was introduced for quantifying the growth of Lemnaceae by tracking the variance in frond surface area over time and it also emphasized the importance of calculating the Relative Growth Rate (RGR) as a key metric in Lemnaceae research, with the new method proving to be as effective as traditional approaches. The third study revealed that responses to simulated microgravity varied among Wolffia globosa clones, with some showing reduced growth and others demonstrating resilience. A key finding of the fourth study was the inverse relationship between the mean relative growth rate (RGR) and the mean length of the clones, suggesting that smaller clones with higher growth rates might be more advantageous for space cultivation.

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