Scientists Grow Chickpeas In Lunar(ish) Soil
https://theness.com/neurologicablog/scientists-grow-chickpeas-in-lunarish-soil/
Humans will need to grow food off Earth to sustain long lunar or Martian bases. Recent studies show a hybrid approach—combining lunar regolith-based soil with organic matter and mycorrhizae—to produce food while recycling water, nutrients, and CO2. While hydroponics is energy-hungry and Earth-supply-heavy, soil-like systems using native regolith could cut dependence on Earth and enable near-complete recycling. Experiments with chickpeas in simulated regolith (75% regolith, 25% soil) + vermicompost and fungal partners are promising, and actual lunar soil shows plants can grow, albeit under stress. The vision: underground lunar farms in lava tubes with artificial lights, closed-loop nutrient and water cycles, and potential genetic tweaks to crops to thrive in reduced gravity and altered soil. If scalable, such farming could support self-sustaining habitats, gradually turning regolith into Earth-like soil and freeing resources for longer journeys.
