Which crops to save to best ensure survival?

You're in a group of colonists, headed to your new home on Tau Ceti e. Due to some crazy accidents aboard the ship, the diverse flora that was brought aboard (for food during the journey and for agriculture at the colony) is at danger of being lost forever.

You have the opportunity to save three species of plants before the doom takes them all. Which plants do you save in order to best ensure the survival of the colony?

Things to note:

• Of course there were plenty of vitamin supplements brought on board! Unfortunately, these will also mostly be lost in the accident :(
• Once you get to base camp at Tau Ceti e, you can start thinking about bio-engineering GMO foods. The equipment to do that aboard the ship was also conveniently destroyed.
• You have to survive for about 10 more years aboard the ship, and feed about 20,000 people. Assume that there are enough food stores to sustain this population until the three saved crops are completely cultivated and ready to harvest.
• Edit 1: The colony on Tau Ceti e will mainly be in an arcology designed to imitate Earth ecology as close as possible.
• Edit 2: Obviously, the immediate need for food is at the time of the accident. However, the colonists should also plan on how they can survive once they get to Tau Ceti e. Once they get about 2 years away from their destination, they can send a message back to Earth, at which time Earth will launch an unmanned supply ship to provide new seeds, equipment, etc. This can travel much faster than the colonists did, but they should still plan on living off the three crops for 10 years on the ship and a few years on the planet.

posted about 9 years ago

Seth‭

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