Abstract EANA2026-65

Human interest in Moon exploration has recently been renewed, increasing attention toward sustainable fresh food production systems for astronaut crews. However, the high cost of transportation from Earth highlights the importance of using in-situ resources whenever possible. Lunar regolith represents a potential substrate for human exploitation, including its possible use as a growth medium for plants. Previous studies conducted on samples collected during the Apollo missions have shown that this substrate possesses harsh properties that severely limit plant development. Therefore, the main objective of our research is to investigate plant responses to lunar regolith simulant through the introduction of terrestrial invertebrates previously demonstrated to survive in this substrate and possibly able to improve its characteristics. Our findings will contribute to a better understanding of molecular mechanisms activated during plant growth on lunar regolith simulant and to develop agricultural strategies for future lunar exploration.