MIT J-WAFS announces 2022 seed grant recipients
The grants total over $1 million in support of research that addresses issues in the water and food sectors.
Using plant biology to address climate change
A Climate Grand Challenges flagship project aims to reduce agriculture-driven emissions while making food crop plants heartier and more nutritious.
How molecular biology could reduce global food insecurity
Mary Gehring is using her background in plant epigenetics to grow climate-resilient crops.
New plant-derived composite is tough as bone and hard as aluminum
The material could pave the way for sustainable plastics.
Exploring growth within a confined space
Embedding bacteria in soft material tests researchers’ theories.
SMART researchers develop method for early detection of bacterial infection in crops
The Raman spectroscopy-based method enables early detection and quantification of pathogens in plants, to enhance plant disease management.
How marsh grass protects shorelines
As climate change brings greater threats to coastal ecosystems, new research can help planners leverage the wave-damping benefits of marsh plants.
The next generation of glowing plants
Using nanoparticles that store and gradually release light, engineers create light-emitting plants that can be charged repeatedly.
Research collaboration puts climate-resilient crops in sight
MIT professors Dave Des Marais and Caroline Uhler combine plant biology and machine learning to identify genetic roots of plant responses to environmental stress.
Researchers design sensors to rapidly detect plant hormones
SMART nanosensors are safer and less tedious than existing techniques for testing plants’ response to compounds such as herbicides.
Engineering seeds to resist drought
A new seed-coating process could facilitate agriculture on marginal arid lands by enabling the seeds to retain any available water.
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.
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.