May 15, 2009 -- What started as a science experiment to grow plants in space has blossomed into a drought-resistent, nutritionally rich tomato -- patent pending. Mariya Khodakovskaya was a researcher at North Carolina State University when she created a genetically altered tomato seed designed to better withstand the rigors of space. The seeds were flown to the International Space Station in August 2007. Though they successfully germinated, the plants didn't last long. "The seedlings grew for a short period, and then they got no taller and died," said Chris Brown, a plant biologist at North Carolina State University. The team strongly suspected that the problem was not microgravity, per se, but adverse growing conditions, such as a lack of air circulation, Brown said. Related Content:
"We think they died due to a lack of air flow," he said. The space plants were contained in special chambers designed by BioServe Space Technologies, a non-profit NASA-sponsored research center at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The chambers contained a solution of nutrients that would feed the plants as long as there was moisture present. While the space experiment was a bust, the transgenic seeds blossomed on Earth, producing plants that could survive severe drought. "Three weeks without water will kill most tomato plants. The transgencis came back, which is really cool and has huge implications for Earth agriculture," Brown told Discovery News. Khodakovskaya, a plant physiologist who now operates her own lab at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, says she has since developed a new breed that in addition to tolerating draught, produces a leafy plant with fruit high in lycopene, an antioxidant. Researchers believe antioxidants are important in preventing cancer and other chronic diseases. Khodakovskaya and colleagues at Arkansas State University and the University of Central Arkansas are preparing to patent their technology, which involves adding some new genes to the basic tomato. The fruit, however, has yet to be put to the ultimate test -- taste. "When we grow the plants we use some chemicals, and I was advised not to eat it," Khodakovskaya told Discovery News. Related Links: Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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