US Scientists pioneer eco-friendly wheat that fertilizes itself

Scientists at the University of California, Davis, have successfully developed new varieties of wheat capable of producing natural fertilizer autonomously, paving the way for reducing air and water pollution globally.

The university explained in a statement Saturday that researchers used genetic modification techniques to stimulate the plants to produce additional amounts of certain chemicals, which interact with the soil to form natural fertilizer.

The statement pointed out that this innovation could help reduce the costs borne by farmers, in addition to minimizing the negative environmental impacts caused by nitrogen pollution.

In this context, Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the university Eduardo Blumwald said that this discovery could significantly contribute to ensuring food security by increasing productivity in small farms, especially in regions such as Africa, which face major challenges in this field.

Wheat production uses about 18% of the total nitrogen fertilizers produced globally, while plants absorb only between 35%-50% of the nitrogen, with the remainder ending up in water bodies and the atmosphere, causing significant environmental damage.