Potatoes grown on Mars?

How scientist  believe the red planet could replace the gem state as the top producer of potatoes.  A group of scientist have begun the process of growing potatoes on Mars, according to the New York Post.  The International Potato Center conducted the experiments in Peru and phase two of the experiments are positive, reports the scientist.

The project is called 'The Potatoes on Mars Project' and it's goal is to find out if potatoes can grow in extreme conditions on Earth and Mars.  The experiment involved inserting a tube with potatoes seeds into the ground and monitoring their progress.

Julio Valdivia-Silva, a research on the project, said  “If the crops can tolerate the extreme conditions that we are exposing them to in our CubeSat, they have a good chance to grow on Mars. We will do several rounds of experiments to find out which potato varieties do best. “We want to know what the minimum conditions are that a potato needs to survive,” he said, in a press release provided by the organization.

This International Potato Center, or CIP, was founded in 1971.  It is a real organization that is focused on global issues involving hunger and agriculture.  They have over twenty research offices around the world.

Still not convinced?  Check out the video of the project here.