Space Grant Consortium - University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

western border of the Arkansas River Valley and the eastern border is the Mosquito Range. The
objective was to find O. in their natural distribution, photograph them, and obtain samples.
Samples were collected and sent to the team on July 27, 2009 for collaborated experiments. The
highest O. fragilis colony was found at 10,100 feet in a Montane biome, with a sub-alpine
distribution. This coincides with a distinct habitat change; at that elevation the Ponderosa Pine
tree habitat gives way to the Lodgepole Pine habitat. This colony had flower buds whereas the
lower elevation colonies had finished blooming one week prior. The healthiest plants in this
colony were sprinkled with elk or deer scat.
Another colony was found within 400 feet of the Avalanche Trailhead. The regolith is granite
scree with some decomposed pine matter making tundra. Subsurface permafrost and mini
glaciers were present. This was the only colony thus samples were not collected however,
photographs were taken.
The Montane biome samples were sent with their soil and scat to team members for their use. Dr.
Schmitt planted in PPR+Cpyr+mulch+wild-type scat+wild-type soil, and is allowing them to rest
and root before moving forward with experimentation.
EPCC, El Paso, Texas. We need an extremopohile plant that can withstand severe thermal
cycling; from very hot temperatures to deep freeze. Our initial test plant was O. ficus-indica
which is well known in Mexico but, also grows in El Paso, Texas. Summer days in El Paso can
go above 100°F and winter nights can below 32°F. O. ficus-indica is reported to survive
temperatures up to 140°F 15
. O. ficus-indica is known for food production and as fodder in arid to
semi-arid lands all over the world.
Results. O. ficus-indica cladodes were removed from a wild-type in an arroyo which were an El
Paso (EP) variety, and from a domestic Mexican (Mex) variety growing in El
Paso used as a supply plant for team research. Seeds were collected from the wild-type
EP and from domestic Mex tunas.
1. O. ficus-indica develops a good root system and grows well on plain JSC-1A simulant as
well as Cpyr amended JSC-1A up to 10% by volume. 6% Cpyr amended JSC-1A
provides the best results. Plants were given distilled or rainwater and supplemented with
Miracle-Gro®. Resultscomparable at different altitudes and to mulch amendment.
2. Seedlings of O. ficus-indica germinated and developed in JSC-1A simulant and 6% Cpyr
amended JSC-1A. Several seedlings are thriving. Seedlings were provided rainwater and
supplemented with Miracle-Gro®. Results comparable at different altitudes and with
seedlings grown in mulch amendments. Germination rates were low in all cases.
3. O. ficus-indica rooted cladodes in 6 and 10% Cpyr amended JSC-1A simulant were
exposed to night/day cycles in a 14/14 and 5/23 night/day lunar cycle rhythm. The plants
were exposed to temperatures up to 104°F. Since the Start of lunar cycling two plants
have died. Speculate that these plants died to carbon toxicity from the previous
experiment, one plant was the control. Cladodes develop new growth. Experiments are
done in two locations.
15 Nobel P.S., Recent Ecophysiological Findings for O. ficus-indica. J PACD, 1997, 89-96.
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