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The RASTA (Radish Assimilation in Spaceflight Testbed Atmospheres) space flight experiment is being designed to evaluate effects of spacecraft environment on carbon partitioning in radish. Carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature effects on radish partitioning are being evaluated to optimize conditions on orbit. Determining effects of these stresses on growth will allow environmental stress effects to be isolated from microgravity effects during the mission. Three cultivars, Cherriette, Cherry Belle, and Early Scarlett Globe, have been grown at 23 °C at 400, 1500 and 10,000 ppm CO2 to determine effects of super-elevated CO2 on growth. Total biomass production was greatest at 1500 ppm CO2, with a decline at 10,000 ppm CO2. Harvest index of all cultivars was also highest at 1500 ppm. `Cherry Belle' and `Early Scarlet Globe' were grown at ambient CO2 under temperatures ranging from 18 to 30 °C. Total biomass production was greatest at 22 °C, with significant declines in total dry mass and harvest index with increasing temperatures. Temperatures less than 22 °C resulted in decrease in total biomass, but partitioning to storage roots was enhanced. (Supported by NASA NCC10-0034)
A series of experiments were conducted to determine the sensitivity of radish to four light alcohols (ethanol, methanol, 2-propanol, and t-butanol) identified as atmospheric contaminants on manned spacecraft. Radish (Raphanus sativus L. `Cherry Bomb' Hybrid II) seedlings were exposed for 5 days to concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 175, 250, and 500 ppm of each alcohol and the effect on seedling growth was used to establish preliminary threshold response values. Results show a general response-pattern for the four alcohol exposures at threshold responses of 10% (T10), 50% (T50) and 90% (T90) reduction in seedling length. There were differences in the response of seedlings to the four alcohols, with the T10 for t-butanol and ethanol (25 to 40 ppm) being 3 to 5× lower than for methanol or 2-propanol (110 to 120 ppm). Ethanol and t-butanol exhibited similar T50 values (150 to 160 ppm). In contrast, T50 for methanol (285 ppm) and 2-propanol (260 ppm) were about 100 ppm higher than for ethanol or t-butanol. Chronic exposures to 400 ppm t-butanol, ethanol or 2-propanol were highly toxic to the plants. Radish was more tolerant of methanol, with T90 of 465 ppm. Seeds did not germinate at the 500 ppm treatment of t-butanol, 2-propanol, or ethanol. There were significant differences in projected performance of plants in different environments, dependent upon the regulatory guidelines used. The use of exposure guidelines for humans is not applicable to plant systems.