“Sounds like science fiction, but one day there will be fertilizer in Canada, which is activated only after the plant orders it. This is a simplified premise at the heart of a research prototype for smart fertilization, which uses a unique chemical to “listen” for nutrient demands from plant roots, ”says Jeff Melchior.

“Understanding the concept of soil as a living organism is an idea that opens up possibilities for precision farming,” says Maria DeRosa, professor of chemistry at Carleton University in Ottawa.

And while there is still a lot of work to be done before smart fertilization becomes commercially viable, the technology holds great promise with the demand for sustainable farming.

“If we could only apply fertilizer when the plant is needed, we would get better efficiency, less impact on the environment and save money for the farmers because they only fertilize the plant,” explains DeRosa. - This process is facilitated by a piece of DNA called an aptamer, stored in a chemical coating of ordinary urea granules. It's like any other fertilizer you've ever used, just coated in a different way. "

“The aptamer folds into a molecule-sized 'pocket' that attaches to a target molecule in the soil, creating a sensor that can detect when a plant needs nitrogen. Once the message is found, the aptamer is triggered to release nitrogen from the coating of plant roots, ”the author reveals.

"The coating is very thin, so we expect that the end result is not too expensive or weighty product, which should be considered when dealing with fertilizers," - said DeRosa.

The currently unbranded prototype is for wheat and canola and has been extensively tested in labs and greenhouses, now it's time to test it in real field conditions.

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