London, April 20: Marigolds could be grown on the moon by around 2015, scientists said. A Ukrainian team, working with the European Space Agency (ESA) showed that marigolds can grow in crushed rock, very like the lunar surface, and with no need for plant food.

The research was presented at the European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna by ESA's Dr Bernard Foing, director of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group and father of the SMART-1 moon probe.

Dr Foing said it was an important milestone because it does away with the need to bring nutrients and soil from Earth.

His team added different types of bacteria which made the marigolds thrive.

The bacteria appeared to leach elements like potassium from the rock that the plants needed; were able to withstand extremely tough conditions; and so would be an ideal way to fertilise lunar crops.

Dr Foing was pinning his hopes on an ESA proposal for a mission called Moon Next, which would probably deploy a roving vehicle in about 2015, or on a subsequent Lunar Logistics Lander scheduled for 2016-17, the Daily Telegraph reported.

He said tulips, cabbages and arabidopsis (a weed) could also be grown on the moon.