US researchers to grow crop in Mars

Washington: Researchers in the United States are running trials to see if crop can be grown in the planet Mars.

NASA plans to send astronauts to Mars to set up a planetary base, a mission that could last at least three years.

Researchers at the University of Florida are looking at which crop might be grown hydroponically (cultivating plants in nutrient solution rather than in soil) on the shuttle during the trial and also in greenhouses on Mars to provide food for the astronauts.

Professor of food engineering, Arthur Teixeira says results have been successful.

"I believe research is now available to show that we could probably rely on being able to grow certain varieties of rice, dry beans, soy beans and sweet potato," he said.

"We already know that we can probably continue to provide the astronauts with tomato, strawberries, radishes, [and] green onions as their everyday pick-off-the-vine on hydroponics," he added.