[Promising technique of mineral supply organization for plants in the condition of microgravity].

The proposed system of automated nutrient solution preparation for plant cultivation in microgravity consists of an ion-exchange fabric artificial soil (AS) as a root-inhabited medium, a pack with slow release fertilizer as the main source of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and a cartridge with a granular mineral-rich ionite as a source of calcium, magnesium, sulphur and iron. Experiments proved that fabric AS BIONA-V3 is capable to stabilize pH of the substrate solution within the range of 6.0 to 6.

[Development of a minerals supply system for plants in a conveyor-type space greenhouse].

The paper presents ideas of optimizing the mineral nutrition system for salad crops in a space greenhouse. Experiments showed that to use mineral-saturated fiber ionite BIONA-V3 as an artificial soil will require to upmass a lot of expandable materials because of low specific content of nutrients. An additionally mineralized fiber soil makes possible to reduce mass of ionite in 5.

[Telemedicine technologies at the spacecrew landing site].

The article describes the telemedicine complex (TM) for real-time medical informatics communication and interaction between medical personnel at the spacecrew landing site and in the mission control center. Scenarios of TM complex employment for crew examination after Standard landing, in bad weather or for providing care to cosmonauts with unsteady or unsatisfactory health state after ballistic landing are outlined. Basic requirements to the TM-assisted express diagnostics of returned spacecrew are defined.

[Results of salad machine experiment within the MARS-500 project].

The salad machine experiment was aimed to fulfill performance testing of a prototype of space conveyor-type cylindrical greenhouse PHYTOCYCLE-SL, to study growth and development of plants, and to evaluate microbial contamination of equipment in the closed manned environment. Crops of leaf cabbage Brassica chinensis L., cultivar Vesnianka were raised in the time interval between MARS-500 days 417 and 515.

[Methods of extending the resource of fiber ionite artificial soils in space greenhouses].

The vegetable cultivation technology developed in view of long-term autonomous missions is based on root nutrition provided by fiber artificial soils (AS) containing ion-exchange resins. Useful life of ASs is limited by two factors which are nutrients depletion in ion-exchanger and clogging of the AS threshold space by roots remnants. Purpose of the investigation is to try out hydrolysis and ensuing microbial decomposition of roots remnants as a way to extend the resource of used fiber ionite AS.

[Effect of plant-associated methanolic bacteria on methane and methanol concentration dynamics in atmosphere of pressurized chamber].

Stability of Chinese cabbage crop colonization by methanolic bacteria Methylovorus mays, Methylomonas methanica and Methylosinus trichosporium inoculated using a space-applicable method was evaluated. Besides, trends of methane and methanol concentrations in the pressurized chamber with inoculated and uninoculated crops were calculated. Methylovorus mays and Methylosinus trichosporium were shown to establish more stable colonization as compared to Methylomonas methanica.

[Optimal configuring of a mobile telemedicine facility for elimination of medico-sanitary consequences of emergency situations according to the competitiveness criterion].

The authors substantiate the choice of a mobile telemedicine facility (MTLF) configuration for elimination of medicosanitary consequences of emergency situations fit in minibus Sobol. The global competitiveness criterion has been adapted to consider the MTLF cost-quality gain/reduction ratio in comparison with the basic model. This approach permitted determination of the vector of MTLF attributes, indices of user (doctor) satisfaction, and coefficients of significance for each MTLF vector component.

[Prototype of space vitamin greenhouse "Phytoconveyor"].

Installation of a greens production system on the International space station will mean a leap toward biological regeneration of food in long-duration space mission. Today, priority is given to green cultures as supplements of space rations and a psychological support to crews in exploration missions to Mars, and also as least resource-intensive. Cylindrical salad greenhouse "Phytoconveyor" designed at the Institute for Biomedical Problems is highly productive, energy-efficient, and requires minimum of crew time for.

[Characteristics of micromycets Fusarium oxysporum recovered from an artificial soil for space greenhouse after chronic exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation].

Growth and development of Fusarium oxysporum intact strain and strains subjected to irradiation by low gamma-neutron doses were studied during cultivation on intact substrate and substrate irradiated by a gamma-source at 29 microGy. There was a striking difference in growth and sporification between the strains cultivated on irradiated and intact substrates. Irradiated Fusarium oxysporum strains exhibited manifest antagonism to one another and the non-irradiated strain.

[Greenhouse with a convex spherical planting surface as a prototype of space greenhouse and an instrument for studying the plant gravitropism].

IBMP has developed a technology and unit for cultivating self-opening crops on a convex planting surface illuminated by light-emitting diodes mounted on an external concentric panel ("Hemisphere"). The unit has a structure of two-member clinostat with semispherical plant growth chamber with a 600-mm diameter and a speed of from 1 to 10 revo about each axis; water potential in the root supply system is maintained at 1.0 +/- 0.

[Effect of the spaceflight radiation factor on the growth of Brassica pekinensis and micromycetes Fusarium oxysporum].

The effects of chronic exposure in the combination of low-dose gamma- and neutron radiation on growth of Brassica pekinensis (lour) Rupr, var. Khibinskaya, and micromycetes of Fusarium oxysporum, a representative of soil microflora were stadied. Seeds, water and vegetating plants raised from previously irradiated seeds were subjected to radiation exposure.

[Analysis of characteristics of a salad space greenhouse with a diode lighting unit].

The laboratory model of space production salad conveyer PHYTOCYCLE SD utilizes the principle of self-opening of plants growing under the light-emitting diodes. A computer model has been proposed to estimate greenhouse productivity as a function of design values. The model was used to compare greenhouses with a cylinder and flat crop surface.

[Differences in growth and ontogenetic development of plants grown in the Earth gravitational field in the natural and inverse orientation].

Wheat plants Triticum aestivum L., Apogee cultivar, were grown in the natural and inverse orientation of the Earth gravitational field. Special vegetation containers with double bottom were used for the cultivation.

[The problem of developing a lettuce greenhouse for the International space station and future interplanetary missions].

In order to evaluate the effects of gravity on growing plants, we conducted ground-based long-term experiments with dwarf wheat (cultivar "Apogee USU") and Chinese cabbage (cultivar "Khibinskaja"). The test crop had been grown in overhead position with HPS lamp below the root module so that gravity and light gradients were in opposite direction. Plants of the control crop grew in normal position under the same lamp.

[Influence of root module design on growth and development of plants].

Wheat crop was grown in various root modules (RM) in which nutritional solution was injected through porous membrane (2-6 microns). Seeds were laid on the surface of membrane or in pearlite covering the membrane. Root modules 1 and 3 contained ceramic porous tubes 10 mm and 22 mm in diameter, respectively.

[Relationship of some environmental factors to disorders in wheat ontogenesis as applied to space greenhouse].

In ground-based experiments reproducing conditions in experiments in the Mir greenhouse Svet super dwarf wheat was raised at water potential (WP) in root modules with pearlite within the range from -0.5 kPa to -3.0 kPa.

[Experimental study of the root supply system with periodic water return designed for space greenhouses].

To improve reliability of plant's moistening and aeration control in microgravity, an original root supply system with a periodic return water flow has been designed and tested in laboratory. For 30 days crops of Pekinese cabbage (Brassica pekinesis (Lour Rupr), Khibini sort) were raised in the test bench which allowed adjustment of water potential in the root zone within a preset range. A three-step water potential control algorithm included water injection with a pump-dispenser, a pause, and water sucking back to a desired value of water potential.

[Choice of plant light status for space greenhouse: results of ground-based experience].

To decide on the light status of plants in space greenhouse, a theoretical study was undertaken to correlate specific productivity of space greenhouse with illumination characteristics including vertical PAR flux density (I), photoperiod (tau), and crop leaf index (L). It was demonstrated that in pace with I the daily productivity per a volume unit tended to monotonously approach maximum at I = Ip, whereas the greenhouse energy efficiency ME peaked at I = IE, IK < IE < IP, where IK is a compensation point of the light curve of crop photosynthesis. Proposed are compromise criteria to optimize illumination as a maximum of linear combination of MV and ME and coefficients which account for the cost of a space station volume unit and a unit of board power supply, and as maximum of product Q = MV.

[The influence of the water potential in the root-habitable area on the efficiency of the higher-order plants].

In a set of 8 experiments, in leaf mustard Brassica junceae L. (cult. Volnushka) and in soft wheat Triticum aestivum L.

[Characteristics of several artificial substitutes of soil for space flight greenhouses].

The analysis of the study associated with cultivating the leaf cabbage, small radish in the Russian-Bulgarian greenhouse "Svet" aboard Mir orbital space station in 1990 has demonstrated that under microgravity conditions the zeolite substrate "Balkanin" with particles dimensions of 1-3 mm placed in the root modules of the greenhouse "Svet" did not ensure the sufficient transfer of the water from moisture-saturated wicks to the periphery of the vegetation vessels what is attributable to the peculiarities of hydrophysical characteristics of the substrate used. There presented the results of experimental research on the hydrophysical and agrochemical characteristics of the ion-exchange substrates of two other types--"Biona 312" and "Biona V" prepared on the basis of the artificial ion-exchange resins: cationite--CU-2 and anionite EDE-10P. For these substrates there found the estimates of humidity correlating with the loss of gassy pores as well as there measured the specific weight of the solid phase and the volumetric weight.

[Evaluation of the effect of a single dose of ammonia on lettuce photosynthesis in a hermetically sealed phytotron].

The threshold of the phytotoxic effect (PTE) of ammonia at a concentration of 10 to 20 mg/m3 on 28-day lettuce plants was evaluated during a single 2-hour exposure. The rate of Hill's reaction, level of energization of chloroplast membranes during leaf illumination as well as visible photosynthesis of lettuce plants from the beginning of fumigation to vegetation day 31 were recorded. Similar changes in the above parameters induced by ammonia were seen.

[Greenhouses with a curvilinear planting surface].

The laws of light distribution in plants sown on the flat plane, spherical or cylindrical surfaces were investigated. In mhicrogravity where the plants are arranged radially the level of illumination of lower leaf strata is higher on curvilinear than on flat surfaces. This is due to the following: as the plants grow they get separated; also, the concentration of the light flux increases with depth of plants on the curvilinear surfaces.