The Digester
science

German study finds cyanobacteria can turn Martian regolith into plant fertilizer

Researchers at the University of Bremen converted cyanobacteria grown on simulated Martian regolith into a nutrient-rich fertilizer by anaerobic fermentation, enabling lentil growth in laboratory tests while producing methane as a byproduct.

Mar 31st 2026 · Germany

Insights

  • Cyanobacteria use carbon dioxide and mineral-rich regolith to produce biomass that can be processed into fertilizer.
  • Anaerobic fermentation of cyanobacterial biomass releases ammonium and other nutrients that supported plant growth in lab tests.
  • Laboratory trials produced 27 grams of lentils from one gram of processed cyanobacteria.
  • The fermentation process also produced methane that could be used as a fuel source.
  • Experiments used simulated Martian soil and did not replicate Mars conditions such as extreme temperatures, low gravity or cosmic radiation.
  • Perchlorates in Martian regolith inhibit plant growth, but local gypsum-rich deposits may offer more suitable substrates for cultivation.

Sources