the first 30 years of plant growth in space, see Halstead and Scott 1990). On the former mission, wheat, pea, maize, spring onion, and Nigella damascena seeds were carried into space, and on the latter mission Chlorella pyrenoidosa cells were brought into orbit. Plant experiments were later performed on a variety of Bangladesh, China, and joint Soviet-American missions, including Biosatellite II (Biosatellite program), Skylab 3 and 4, Apollo–Soyuz, Sputnik, Vostok, and Zond. Some of the earliest research results showed the effect of low gravity on the orientation of roots and shoots (Halstead and Scott 1990). Subsequent research went on to investigate the effect of low gravity on plants at the organismic, cellular, and subcellular levels. At the organismic level, for example, a variety of species, including pine, oat, mung bean, lettuce, cress, and Arabidopsis thaliana, showed decreased seedling, root, and shoot growth in low gravity, whereas lettuce grown on Cosmos showed the opposite effect of growth in space (Halstead and Scott 1990). Mineral uptake seems also to be affected in plants grown in space. For example, peas grown in space exhibited increased levels of phosphorus and potassium and decreased levels of the divalent cations calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and iron (Halstead and Scott 1990). Biocontrols in space In 1996, NASA funded Richard Stoner's research to develop a natural liquid biocontrol, known then as organic disease control (ODC), to prevent plant diseases and increase yields without the use of pesticides for closed-loop hydroponic systems. By 1997, Stoner's biocontrol experiments were conducted by NASA. BioServe Space Technologies's GAP technology (miniature growth chambers) delivered the ODC solution unto bean seeds. Triplicate ODC experiments were conducted in GAP's flown to the MIR by the space shuttle; at the Kennedy Space Center; and at Colorado State University (J. Linden). All GAPS were housed in total darkness to eliminate light as an experiment variable. The NASA experiment was to study only the benefits of the biocontrol. NASA's enclosed environment bean experiments aboard the MIR space station and shuttle confirmed that ODC elicited increased germination rate, better sprouting, increased growth and natural plant disease mechanisms. Though originally developed with NASA, ODC is not just for space. Soil and hydroponics growers can benefit by incorporating ODC into their planting techniques, as ODC meets USDA NOP standards for organic farms. One example of ODC's expansion in agriculture is the ODC product line, which caters to emerging agricultural crops, such