Biocrusts improve the performance of crop species under simulated space conditions

Long space travels and exoplanetary colonization will likely require innovative strategies to ensure crop survival under extreme conditions. Simultaneously, climate change threatens global agricultural productivity, increasing the need for stress-tolerant crops. Beneficial microorganisms, particularly high-stress-tolerant biocrusts, offer a promising tool for supporting plant growth in harsh environments. Here, we evaluated the effects of biocrusts from the Atacama Desert, the driest desert on Earth, on soil nutrition, plant performance, and crop nutritional quality in lettuce and spinach under simulated space conditions. Biocrusts significantly enhanced soil enzymatic activity, improving nutrient availability. Additionally, biocrust-treated plants exhibited higher germination and survival rates, greater stress tolerance, and increased nutritional quality compared to control plants. These benefits were particularly evident under space-simulated conditions, where plant growth was highly constrained. Our findings highlight the potential of Atacama Desert biocrusts as a sustainable and effective biotechnological solution for space agriculture, ensuring crop resilience and nutritional yield. Moreover, these microbial communities could help mitigate the impacts of climate change on terrestrial agriculture by improving soil fertility and plant stress tolerance. Biocrusts represent a valuable resource and a sustainable alternative for securing global food production in extreme environments, both on Earth and beyond.