Students and staff work together for MIT’s first “No Mow May”
With advocacy from GSC Sustain, the No Mow May project supports pollinator habitats and provides educational opportunities.
Universal nanosensor unlocks the secrets to plant growth
Researchers from SMART DiSTAP developed the world’s first near-infrared fluorescent nanosensor capable of monitoring a plant’s primary growth hormone in real-time and without harming the plant.
Guardian Ag’s crop-spraying drone is replacing dangerous pilot missions
Founded by two former regulars at the MITERS makerspace, the company has built huge, rugged drones to more safely and sustainably apply fertilizers and pesticides on farms.
Study helps pinpoint areas where microplastics will accumulate
Biofilms deposited by living organisms reduce the accumulation of small particles, while areas of bare sand can be microplastics hotspots.
A new technology for extending the shelf life of produce
Researchers used microneedles to inject fresh-cut crops with melatonin and delay spoilage.
Startup helps farmers grow plant-based feed and fertilizer using wastewater
Founded by former MIT Tata Center translational research director Jason Prapas, Fyto has built an automated system for harvesting the aquatic plant Lemna on dairy farms.
Will the vegetables of the future be fortified using tiny needles?
Researchers showed they can inexpensively produce silk microneedles to deliver vitamins or agrochemicals to plants.
For plants, urban heat islands don’t mimic global warming
Scientists have found that trees in cities respond to higher temperatures differently than those in forests, potentially masking climate impacts.
SMART researchers pioneer nanosensor for real-time iron detection in plants
The innovation enables nondestructive iron tracking within plant tissues, helping to optimize plant nutrient management, reduce fertilizer waste, and improve crop health.
3 Questions: Exploring the limits of carbon sequestration
Assistant Professor César Terrer discusses pioneering volcano research to track carbon dynamics in tropical forests.
Pivot Bio is using microbial nitrogen to make agriculture more sustainable
The nitrogen product developed by the company, which was co-founded by Professor Chris Voigt, is being used across millions of acres of American farmland.
A new method to detect dehydration in plants
Sensors developed by SMART researchers are capable of detecting pH changes in plant xylem enable farmers to detect drought stress up to 48 hours before visible physical symptoms manifest.
Advancing urban tree monitoring with AI-powered digital twins
The Tree-D Fusion system integrates generative AI and genus-conditioned algorithms to create precise simulation-ready models of 600,000 existing urban trees across North America.
Study: Marshes provide cost-effective coastal protection
As climate change accelerates sea-level rise and intensifies storms, marsh-fronted seawalls can provide an economical coastal defense, MIT engineers report.
Teen uses pharmacology learned through MIT OpenCourseWare to extract and study medicinal properties of plants
Inspired by traditional medicine, 17-year-old Tomás Orellana is on a mission to identify plants that can help treat students’ health issues.