SMART develops analytical tools to enable next-generation agriculture
Engineered plant nanosensors and portable Raman spectroscopy will help enable sustainable practices in traditional and urban agriculture.
Q&A: Clare Balboni on environmental economics
A strong evidence base is key for informing environmental and climate policy, says the MIT assistant professor.
The catalyzing potential of J-WAFS seed grants
MIT junior faculty explore new research directions and achieve powerful career advancement enabled by J-WAFS’ mission-driven grant program focused on water and food solutions.
Could lab-grown plant tissue ease the environmental toll of logging and agriculture?
MIT researchers grow structures made of wood-like plant cells in a lab, hinting at the possibility of more efficient biomaterials production.
Portable device can quickly detect plant stress
Sensor developed by SMART researchers would allow rapid diagnosis of nutrition deficiency in plants, enabling farmers to maximize crop yield in a sustainable way.
Discovery allows early detection of shade avoidance syndrome
SMART researchers use Raman spectroscopy for early detection of SAS, which can help farmers better monitor plant health and improve crop yields.
SMART researchers engineer a plant-based sensor to monitor arsenic levels in soil
Nanoscale devices integrated into the leaves of living plants can detect the toxic heavy metal in real time.
Designing off-grid refrigeration technologies for crop storage in Kenya
A team of MIT researchers is using the thermodynamic properties of water evaporation to bring off-grid cold storage of produce to remote, arid regions.
Revamped MIT Climate Portal aims to inform and empower the public
Website hosts an expanded suite of digital tools and resources to help people make sense of climate change.
Digitizing supply chains to lift farmers out of poverty
SourceTrace offers a suite of software tools to improve the profitability, sustainability, and transparency of agricultural supply chains around the world.
When the chemical industry met modern architecture
PhD student Jessica Varner traces the way synthetic building materials have transformed our environment.
MIT student leaders go virtual with global startup competitions
In the face of Covid-19, the MIT Water Club and the MIT Food and Agriculture Club take their signature innovation prizes online.
Technique could enable cheaper fertilizer production
Chemical engineers take a step toward generating ammonia with small-scale, electrochemical reactors.
Engineers develop precision injection system for plants
Microneedles made of silk-based material can target plant tissues for delivery of micronutrients, hormones, or genes.
New sensor could help prevent food waste
Monitoring the plant hormone ethylene could reveal when fruits and vegetables are about to spoil.