Australian scientists have discovered the gene that could pave the way for space-based food production on Mars.

Researchers at Queensland University of Technology found the gene that allows the native tobacco plant Nicotiana benthamiana to rapidly grow and reproduce in arid conditions.

Described by Professor Peter Waterhouse as the ‘laboratory rat’ of the molecular plant world, the tobacco plant - or Pitjuri, as it’s known by native Aboriginal tribes - is used for testing viruses and vaccines all over the world.

Lead researcher Dr Julia Bally said: ”The plant has lost its “immune system” and has done that to focus its energies on being able to germinate and grow quickly, rapidly flower, and set seed after even a small amount of rainfall.

”Its focus is on creating small flowers but large seeds and on getting these seeds back into the soil in time for the next rain.

“The plant has worked out how to fight drought - its number one predator - in order to survive through generations.”

Professor Waterhouse explained that the discovery could be used by others to investigate niche growing environments such as space.

"So the recent film The Martian, which involved an astronaut stranded on Mars growing potatoes while living in an artificial habitat, had a bit more science fact than fiction than people might think,” he added.

In August, astronauts on the International Space Station became the first people to eat vegetables grown in space, tasting some red romaine lettuce cultivated on the ISS.

Image credit: NASA