SCELSE-NUS Uncovers Plant Hormone That Can Boost Plant Growth By 30%

Описание: Scientists from the SCELSE and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have uncovered one of nature’s most potent tool in an arsenal to combat today’s agricultural challenges: agro-microbials - or agro-chemicals of natural origin - that can enhance the synergy between crops and microbes, and ultimately improve crop yield and productivity.

In a study conducted over five years from 2018, the scientists discovered that a well-known protective hormone typically released by plants above ground during periods of stress – a volatile organic compound (VOC) known as methyl jasmonate (MeJA) – possessed a hitherto unknown function. They found that MeJa serves as a shared, possibly secret, language that allows the plant to communicate with the surrounding multitude of microorganisms embedded in the soil.

Associate Professor Sanjay Swarup, who is Deputy Research Director at SCELSE and Principal Investigator at the Research Centre on Sustainable Urban Farming (SUrF) under NUS Faculty of Science, said, “The impact of this discovery is manifold and key to sustainable agriculture. Harnessing these agricultural microbes will not only boost crop productivity, but using nature-based agrochemicals, also reduce the need for synthetic inputs and mitigate the environmental impact of modern farming practices.”

Having discovered nature’s own way of communication between plants and beneficial microbes, the research team has filed a patent for novel application of this natural chemical signal and the beneficial bacteria it stimulates, to improve the resilience and productivity of agricultural systems. The upshot of this could be a new generation of agro-chemicals or nature-structured chemicals and biological solutions, which can be used to enhance the benefits for plants.