Tropical epiphytic orchids as an object of space botany investigations and a design element for spacecraft flight decks and orbital stations

1Cherevchenko, TM, 1Zaimenko, NV
1M.M. Gryshko National Botanic Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
Kosm. nauka tehnol. 1998, 4 ;(5):141–147
https://doi.org/10.15407/knit1998.05.141
Publication Language: Ukrainian
Abstract: 
Epiphytic orchids are shown to be more stable in a long stay on board an orbital station than terrestrial species. Simulations revealed that the activity of native growth stimulators (free auxins and gibberellines) under the prolonged clinostating conditions varied in epiphytic orchids to a lesser extent than in terrestrial orchids. This factor, together with a weaker geotropic reaction, seems to be a cause of their stability in microgravitation conditions. We found also that orchids with the monopodial type of shoot system branching are less stable at microgravity than the sympodial species.
Keywords: orbital stations, space botany, space life
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