VEG-03F: Microbial Communities on Space-Grown Leafy Greens from the ISS

NASA's investigation of microbial communities on multi-species leafy greens grown in the Veggie system on the International Space Station. The study used both culturable and non-culturable methods to provide qualitative and quantitative data, stressing the food safety component of fresh crops grown on the ISS. Community analysis was completed with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and comparisons were made between plant tissue types and pillow components from the VEG-03D, E, and F demonstrations.

Use Cases

• Assessing food safety of space-grown crops based on culture-based enumeration and pathogen screening data.
• Comparing microbial diversity between plant roots, leaves, and growth substrates based on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing.
• Modeling the impact of the plant microbiome on a closed environment like the ISS based on community analysis.
• Studying microbial transfer between Veggie facility surfaces and plant pillows based on surface sample data.

Strengths

• Data generated from a unique, closed environment on the International Space Station.
• Combines both culturable enumeration and molecular (16S rRNA) methods for community analysis.
• Includes comparisons across multiple VEG-03 mission iterations (D, E, and F).

Limitations

• Row count and dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data is stored in a BIN file format, which may require specific tools for access and interpretation.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Microbiological characterization using molecular and culture-based methods on samples from the VEG-03F technology demonstration in a Veggie unit on the ISS.

Time Range

Covers one harvest during the VEG-03F demonstration.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 20:05:38.327006; freshness should be verified.

Geography

International Space Station.