Cotton is one of the world’s most vital agricultural commodities, but many struggle to grow the crop using sustainable practices. Thanks to new research in space though, cotton could soon become more resilient.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Madison compared ordinary cotton and cotton genetically modified to withstand drought in space. Typically, plants would struggle to grow in such a harsh environment, but the test cotton actually grew better in space than on Earth.
As to why, researchers are still trying to determine that mystery. But when they do, it could lead to the production of a resilient cotton crop that can withstand stressful conditions on Earth and could go on long term space missions.
