vitamins

A biostimulant for wheat

May 28, 2025 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Feeding a global population projected to reach nearly 10 billion by mid-century is a massive challenge. Wheat provides a fifth of the calories in the global human diet and is a significant source of protein, minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Finding ways to increase the yield of wheat crops has great value. However, wheat has complex genetics, which makes it difficult to improve yields by traditional breeding methods or even by genetic engineering.

Researchers at Oxford University and the nearby Rosalind Franklin Institute have developed a biostimulant that can deliver increased wheat yields of up to 12%. It is applied as a spray and a four-year study in Argentina and Mexico demonstrated that it delivers major yield improvements irrespective of weather conditions.

The biostimulant is based on trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P), which is a natural molecule that regulates the plant equivalent of blood sugar. T6P prompts plants to produce more starch and increases the rate of photosynthesis.

Naturally occurring T6P cannot be applied topically because it cannot cross cell membranes. The researchers developed a membrane-permeable precursor of T6P that releases T6P into a plant in the presence of sunlight.

The biostimulant can be manufactured on an industrial scale and would be inexpensive to use.

The researchers have created SugaROx, a spinout company whose mission is “to increase the productivity, resilience, sustainability, and profitability of crop production” using active ingredients inspired by powerful natural plant molecules.

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New biostimulant treatment significantly boosts wheat yields, field studies confirm

Photo, posted July 28, 2014, courtesy of Brad Higham via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

A green battery from industrial waste

February 11, 2025 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Flow batteries are rechargeable batteries in which liquid electrolytes flow through one or more chemical cells from one or more tanks. The electrolytes are redox pairs, that is, chemical compounds that can reversibly undergo reduction and oxidation reactions. The most common redox electrolytes include elements like vanadium, chromium, iron, zinc, and bromine. Flow batteries can provide large amounts of both electrical power and stored energy based on the size of the electrolyte tanks. As a result, they can be scaled up far more readily than other battery technologies.

Flow batteries are safe, stable, long-lasting, and their electrolytes can easily be refilled. They have significant potential for use in utility-scale storage for renewable energy systems.

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a redox flow battery based on an organic industrial-scale waste product. The material – triphenylphosphine oxide or TPPO – is produced in the thousands of tons each year. It is byproduct of producing a variety of substances including some vitamins, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and other bulk chemicals. For the most part, TPPO is of little use and must be carefully discarded.

The current market for redox flow batteries is very small but is expected to grow over time as the need for utility-scale energy storage continues to expand. A battery technology based on a waste material that is already produced in high volume and that must otherwise be disposed of with caution would have significant advantages.

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Green battery discovery turns trash into treasure

Photo, posted January 12, 2015, courtesy of California Energy Commission via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Insects On The Menu | Earth Wise

March 6, 2023 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

According to the World Food Programme, a record 349 million people across 79 countries are facing acute food insecurity. This constitutes a staggering rise of 200 million people compared to pre-pandemic levels. Nearly one million people globally are fighting to survive in famine-like conditions, which is ten times more people than just five years ago.

As a result, many experts contend that alternative or so-called novel food sources – such as lab-grown meats, seaweed aquaculture, and insects – will be necessary to help fight global hunger and global food insecurity.

Insects already form a significant part of diets in many cultures around the world. Insects are great sources of nutrients, including protein, vitamins, and minerals. But insects have yet to be embraced in any substantial way in western cultures… but that may be changing.

In fact, the European Union has now certified four types of bugs as food fit for human consumption. The larvae of lesser mealworms and house crickets recently became the third and fourth insects approved for sale as food in the EU, joining yellow mealworms and grasshoppers. Eight more applications are awaiting approval.

Insects are already a delicacy in many high-end restaurants around the world, and a normal and healthy part of diets in countries like Mexico and Thailand. Embracing insects as a food of the future will not only help in the fight against global hunger, but will also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to slow species extinction.

In Western food markets, the so-called “yuck factor” remains the biggest hurdle to cross. But as the world population grows, the need for sustainable solutions in the food industry grows with it.

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Insects on the menu as EU approves two for human consumption

World Hunger Surged in 2020, U.N. Says

A global food crisis

Photo, posted April, 2014, courtesy of Shankar S. via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Healthy Soil Is Healthy For People | Earth Wise

March 30, 2022 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

A new study by researchers at the University of Washington looked at the impact of regenerative farming practices on the nutritional content of the food that is grown.

Regenerative agriculture involves farming practices that not only “do not harm” to the land but actually improve it by regenerating and revitalizing the soil. The practices focus on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle, and enhancing ecosystem services. Examples are soil-building techniques that minimize plowing, the use of cover crops, and the planting of diverse crops rather than monocultures.

The study included 10 farms across the U.S. that followed soil-friendly practices for at least five years. The results were that the crops from those farms had a healthier nutritional profile than the same crops grown on neighboring, conventional farms. In particular, there was a boost in certain minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals that are beneficial to human health. Across the board, regenerative practices resulted in crops with more anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants.

The participating farms grew one acre of a test crop – peas, sorghum, corn, or soybeans – for comparison with the same crop grown on a neighboring farm using conventional agriculture. Analysis showed that the farms practicing regenerative agriculture had healthier soils, as measured by their organic matter – or carbon – content and by other tests.

Organic farms avoid chemical pesticides, but they operate with a variety of farming processes. Nonetheless, they have also been found to produce crops with higher levels of beneficial nutrients. The biology of the soil in which crops are grown is an important factor for human health. It isn’t just what we eat that matters; it is how we grow it.

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Farms following soil-friendly practices grow healthier food, study suggests

Photo, posted January 10, 2020, courtesy of Les via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Plant Protein On The Rise

February 9, 2017 By EarthWise

The United Nations declared 2016 to be the International Year of Pulses. Pulses, which are also known as grain legumes, are a group of 12 crops that includes dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas and lentils. They are high in protein as well as fiber and various vitamins. Pulse crops are highly sustainable and require much less water than many other food crops. So there is a real effort underway to promote their production as part of improving food security around the world.