Scientists measured accelerated growth in plants colonized
by bacteria that pull nitrogen from the air and release it into soil
With rising populations and changing climate conditions, the
need for resilient and reliable crops has never been greater. Nitrogen—an
essential element for plant growth—is often woefully absent in heavily farmed
land. Earth’s atmosphere offers an overabundance of nitrogen, but how can it be
safely and sustainably transferred into the soil? Nitrogen-eating bacteria may
be the answer.