| Category | Agtech |
| Keywords | Biostimulant |
| Current development stage | General list: TRL4 Technology validated in lab |
| Collaboration Opportunity | Sponsored Research with an option to License Research Results |
Abstract
The researchers discovered a naturally produced biostimulant increasing growth in lettuce, tobacco and wheat by about 60%.
Background
Biostimulants are a class of agricultural products that are gaining increasing attention and adoption in modern agriculture. These substances are used to enhance plant growth, improve crop yield, and boost overall plant health. Biostimulants contain biological or naturally-derived compounds, such as beneficial microorganisms, plant extracts, amino acids, humic acids, and other organic substances. When applied to plants or the soil, they stimulate various physiological processes, leading to better nutrient uptake, stress resistance, and overall plant performance. The market for biostimulants has experienced significant growth over the past decade as a result of increased demand for sustainable agriculture.
Our Innovation
The researchers discovered a specific natural oligosaccharide that can be synthesized chemically or purchased commercially that acts as a bio-stimulant increasing the growth and yield in model plants (Arabidopsis, lettuce, tobacco and wheat) when tested in growth room settings in both normal and drought conditions. The compound is environmentally safe and offers a non-transgenic solution for plant resilience.
Technology
Tween 20 was added as a surfactant to all the treatments. Tween denotes treatment with the surfactant alone. Glucose was added as a control for carbon addition. Left panel – representative image of the plants, Right panel – foliage fresh weight. Letters denote statistical significance in AVONA and post-hoc Tukey-Kramer test (p<0.05, n=10).
Figure 1 Growth Room Experiments in Lettuce: Tween 20 was added as a surfactant to all the treatments. Tween denotes treatment with the surfactant alone. Glucose was added as a control for carbon addition. Left panel – representative image of the plants, Right panel – foliage fresh weight. Letters denote statistical significance in AVONA and post-hoc Tukey-Kramer test (p<0.05, n=10).
Figure 2 Growth Room Experiments in Tobacco (N. benthamiana):
Tween 20 was added as a surfactant to all the treatments. Tween denotes treatment with the surfactant alone. Glucose was added as a control for carbon addition. Left panel – representative image of the plants, Right panel – foliage fresh weight. Letters denote statistical significance in AVONA and post-hoc Tukey-Kramer test (p<0.05, n=12).
Figure 3 Greenhouse Experiments in Wheat:
Tween 20 was added as a surfactant to all the treatments. Tween denotes treatment with the surfactant alone. Glucose was added as a control for carbon addition. Left panel – representative image of the plants, Right panel – foliage fresh weight. Letters denote statistical significance in AVONA and post-hoc Tukey-Kramer test (p<0.05, n=11).
Opportunity
The researchers are looking for a commercial partner to continue sponsoring research and to take a license to commercialize this technology.
Patents and Publications
Provisional Patent Application was filed (Yissum Reference # 6927)
