The experiments conducted inside the CubeSat indicator proved that it is possible to grow potatoes on Mars.

In coordination with the International Potato Center, scientists from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lima Peru were able to create a condition conducive for the tuber growth.

The condition features similar Martian air pressure, temperature and atmospheric composition through installed LED lights, water hoses and pumps inside the CubeSat.

Julio Valdivia-Silva said that "If the crops can tolerate the extreme condition that we are exposing them to in our CubeSat, they have a good chance to grow on Mars." The researcher added that incoming experiments will include the selection of the best varieties of potato for the Martian environment. An engineered variety from Bangladesh is found thriving on the artificial Mars condition.

The scientists also designed a type of soil that can simulate the growth of tuber in the red planet. Potato grower Walter Amoros expressed, "it was a pleasant surprise to see that potatoes we've bred to tolerate abiotic stress were able to produce tubers in this soil."

ScienceAlert explained that the researchers grew potatoes using cuttings and not seeds. To avoid decomposition during travel to another planet, potatoes need to undergo thermostabilization or radiation treatment. However, founder of NASAWatch Keith Cowing said that said procedures may cause damage to the crop's cells "making it hard to grow plants from cuttings."

NASA plant physiologist, Ray Wheeler said that current studies increase the possibility of growing plants in the red planet's surface. However, he stated programs alike are expensive and "would take ten years to evolve."

The ongoing experiments on potatoes and how they can thrive on Mars are also expected to bring benefits to Earth's inhabitants with "high potentials for strengthening food security in areas that are affected or will be affected by climate change," said Amoros.