(Web Desk) – Growing fresh food hundreds of thousands of kilometres from Earth is one of the greatest challenges facing permanent human bases on the Moon and Mars. But the seeds of a rice ideal for growing outside Earth might be about to sprout.

The Moon-Rice project is a collaboration working to create the ideal food crop to grow in future deep-space outposts.

The project is a joint effort between the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the University of Milan, the University of Rome and the University of Naples.

“We are trying to solve the same problems that we face here on Earth,” says plant biologist Dr Marta Del Bianco from ASI.

Since space can have negative effects on human health, it’s important astronauts have readily available nutrient-rich food.

However, current space exploration relies heavily on pre-packaged meals delivered during resupplies. These meals rarely contain fresh ingredients.

One of the major hurdles that crops pose to farming in space is their size. Even small varieties, such as dwarf rice, are still too big to depend on in space.

“What we need is a super-dwarf, but this comes with its own challenges,” says Del Bianco.

While scientists can manipulate a plant hormone called gibberellin to reduce the height of rice plants, this can negatively affect seed germination and production.

“They’re not an ideal crop because in space you don’t just have to be small, you must also be productive,” says Del Bianco.

The project is exploring various avenues of rice biology and genetics to develop the perfect crop for nourishing humans on long-duration missions in space.

“We started this 4-year project 9 months ago, so it’s very much a work in progress, but the preliminary results we have now are really promising,” says Del Bianco.

Del Bianco’s focus is on microgravity and how the rice plants will cope in this environment.

“We simulate microgravity on Earth by continually rotating the plant so that it is pulled equally in all directions by gravity. Each side of the plant gets activated continuously and it doesn’t know where the up and down is,” says Del Bianco.

Additionally, researchers at the University of Milan identified rice mutant varieties that grow to only 10cm high. The team in Rome has identified genes in rice that can maximise growth and production.

Del Bianco and her team are also looking to increase the protein content of the rice since meat production for long-duration missions will be ineffective.

Apart from being highly nutritious, they hope the crop also has benefits for wellbeing.

“Watching and guiding plants to grow is good for humans, and while pre-cooked or mushy food can be fine for a short period of time, it could become a concern for longer-duration missions,” says Del Bianco.

“If we can make an environment that physically and mentally nourishes the astronauts, it will reduce stress and lower the chances of people making mistakes.”

The researchers hope that this project will also benefit people growing crops on Earth.

“If you can develop a robust crop for space, then it could be used at the Arctic and Antarctic poles, or in deserts, or places with only a small amount of indoor space available,” says Del Bianco.
“In space, the best case of a mistake is wasted money, and the worst case is the loss of lives.” 

Published Date: July 11, 2025