Trinity Griffus
Biology
Mentor: David Hanson, Ph.D.
Project: From Red Dust to Green Oasis: The Cultivation Plants and Mycorrhizae Fungi in Martian Regolith for Sustainable Space Exploration
About Trinity Griffus
As the reality of space missions to and the colonization of exoplanets comes closer to realization, a major question to ask is how we could establish a reliable and sustainable food source for potential settlements on planets, such as Mars. The goal of my project is to study if a symbiotic relationship between Helianthus annuus (Sunflowers) and Rhizophagus irregularis (fungi) would assist in regulation in plant stress response and nutrition, then, after the first stage of growth from the plants is complete, I will measure stable isotope ratios of plant tissues as an integrated measure of plant water stress. Not only would this research help continue the study of in situ resource utilization but will also teach us more about the symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi for future use in agricultural production and food sustainability.
