NASASpaceFlight.com Forum
General Discussion => Q&A Section => Topic started by: dunwich on 04/18/2021 03:52 pm
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Hi,
I'm aware that when you google "mushrooms on Mars" that you get some weird results.
However I'm more interested in the realworld edible variants (champignons; king oysters, etc)
searching for the subject you find several examples abouth growing plants (edible and other) https://www.nasa.gov/content/growing-plants-in-space
But they do not mention mushrooms (who are fungi)
Looking for Fungi more or less returns info abouth mold (definitly non edible).
Is their some study abouth growing fungi in space (for nutritional reasons) if so could you point me to those?
if their is none is their a obvious reason why their is no such research?
Also I've recently read the martian and I wondered if whatney had some frozen (but uncooked) champignons would a trainend botanist be able to revive them?
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Can_a_frozen_mushroom_used_for_mycelial_regeneration
this source seems to say it's worth a try (if you can revive the mycelial, mushrooms will grow from them I assume?)
Also I've read that you can grow champignons on coffee grounds and compost (dirt is not necessary and mushrooms do not perform/need photosynthesis). It provides decend calories and they grow realy quickly.
Returning back to the book if exposed to martian conditions for 48 hours, the mushrooms would certainly die but would all of the mycelium (roots) die?
I'm not trying to be critical on the book, but I'm interested on growing food and waste management in general in space.
I thank you for any reply and link that might be interesting on the subject.