A bioinspired approach to engineer seed microenvironment to boost germination and mitigate soil salinity
Abstract
In a world that strives to accommodate population growth and climate pattern changes, there is a compelling need to develop new technologies to enhance agricultural output while minimizing inputs and mitigating their effects on the environment. In this study, we describe a biomaterial-based approach to engineer the microenvironment of seeds through the preservation and delivery of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) that are able to fix nitrogen and mitigate soil salinity. PGPRs are encapsulated in silk–trehalose (ST) coatings that achieve bacterial preservation and delivery upon sowing. The biomaterial choice is inspired by a recent finding that a combination of proteins and disaccharides is key for anhydrobiosis. This simple technology is effective to boost seed germination and mitigate soil salinity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Nov 27, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.1915902116
Entities
People
- Augustine T. Zvinavashe
- Benedetto Marelli
- Eugene J. Lim
- Hui Sun
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Office of Naval Research