The researchers are using a variety of techniques to measure how plants respond to gravity, including:
* Imaging: The team is using high-resolution imaging to track the growth and development of plants in space. This will allow them to see how plants change shape and structure in response to the absence of gravity.
* Gene expression: The team is also studying how gene expression changes in plants in space. This will allow them to identify the genes that are involved in the plant's response to gravity.
* Physiological measurements: The team is also measuring a variety of physiological parameters in plants in space, including water use, photosynthesis, and respiration. This will allow them to see how the plant's physiology is affected by the absence of gravity.
The results of this study will help us to better understand how plants sense up and down. This information could be used to develop new technologies for growing plants in space, and it could also help us to better understand how plants respond to gravity on Earth.
The study is being led by Dr. Roberto Sabatini, a professor of plant biology at UC Davis. The team also includes Dr. Chris Wolverton, a professor of physics at UC Davis, and Dr. Anna-Lisa Paul, a research scientist at the NASA Ames Research Center.
The study is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
