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ABSTRACT
Space exploration has faced numerous challenges for a long time, particularly with life support systems. One critical aspect of these systems involves plants, which are crucial for sustainable human survival in outer space. Plants not only produce oxygen and food but also absorb carbon (iv) oxide, recycle wastes, and enhance the atmosphere in enclosed spaces, potentially reducing astronauts' health risks. Clinorotation is a method used to mimic the effects of microgravity on plant growth, making it an important area of study for space agriculture and understanding how plants might behave in non-terrestrial environments. In an experiment, rice seeds were subjected to clinorotation in a lab setting to observe how they would germinate under such conditions. The setup included multiple tests, with normal gravity germination and water as the control group. The clinorotation device continuously rotated the seeds, effectively voiding gravitational influences. The study measured various germination and growth parameters, such as germination percentage, rate, and mean time, length of stem, germination index, as well as root and shoot lengths, providing a detailed analysis of the impact of microgravity environment on rice. The results revealed notable differences in germination behavior between the seeds germinated under microgravity, gravity and those in the control group. Seeds exposed to clinorotation not only germinated quicker but also showed higher germination percentages and altered rates of germination compared to those grown under normal conditions. These findings are vital as they shed light on how rice seeds respond to microgravity-like conditions, offering essential insights for growing crops on long space missions and setting up habitats on other planets.
