DYNAMICS OF GERMINATION OF BULBS OF CULTIVATED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GENUS ALLIUM L.

Abstract

This publication investigates the fundamental prospects and physiological parameters of cultivating domesticated representatives of the genus Allium utilizing lunar regolith simulants derived from the basaltic compositions of lunar maria surfaces. The primary focus of this empirical study is centered on the application of the ETL-1 lunar regolith simulant, a high-fidelity substrate engineered to replicate the mineralogical and physical properties of the Moon's lunar seas. The experimental subjects selected for this astrobotanical research include a specific garlic cultivar, «Gulyaipilsky» (Allium sativum), and a specialized onion cultivar, «Strihunivska» (Allium cepa). To establish a rigorous scientific baseline for the comparative analysis, a control group was maintained using pure, triple-washed quartz sand, which provided a chemically inert medium for plant development. Throughout the duration of the cultivation period, the irrigation protocol was strictly limited to distilled water, intentionally omitting any external mineral supplementation or hydroponic nutrient additives. This methodological constraint was implemented to isolate the intrinsic capacity of the ETL-1 regolith to function as a potential growth medium and to assess its spontaneous chemical contribution to the plant’s metabolic requirements. The overarching objective of the present work is to explore the feasibility of utilizing lunar maria regolith as a primary hydroponic or solid-substrate medium within the closed-loop agroecosystems of future stationary lunar outposts. In pursuit of this goal, several critical tasks were addressed: to examine the fundamental potential of the ETL-1 simulation for supporting the growth of cultivars within the genus Allium; to model the dynamics of biomass accumulation and the potential for carbon dioxide sequestration on this specific substrate in the absence of exogenous nutrient inputs; to determine the overall capacity for agricultural production using lunar basaltic material as a functional hydroponic component. The empirical findings indicate that the ETL-1 lunar maria regolith simulant does not exert any acute aggressive or inhibitory phytotoxic influence on the seedlings. Germination phenology recorded the emergence of the first sprouts on the 16th day for the «Gulyaipilsky» garlic and on the 11th day for the «Strihunivska» onion. The vegetative growth of Allium cepa shoots continued for a total of 43 days, while the growth phase for Allium sativum shoots persisted for 45 days. By the termination of the experiment, the average shoot height for onions cultivated on the regolith simulant reached 27.3 cm, whereas the garlic shoots attained an average height of 10.21 cm. These systematic observations allow for the formulation of a significant scientific hypothesis: the presence of specific mineral nutrients inherent to the lunar regolith results in their gradual dissolution into the aqueous soil solution. This process likely facilitates a partial compensation for the endogenous chemical depletion of the bulb's internal resources expended during the intensive stages of vertical growth, suggesting that lunar regolith may provide a more supportive mineral environment than inert sand for future extraterrestrial agriculture.