We were delighted to see another groundbreaking technology from our client - the John Innes Centre - featured in The Guardian this week. The article reports on the research from Myriam Charpentier and her team at the JIC who have identified specific mutations that improve endosymbiosis in legumes and wheat. Endosymbiosis is the term used to describe the symbiotic or "special" relationship that exists between plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria and fungi that live in plant roots. Despite the well-known benefit of endosymbiosis in plant nitrogen uptake, we have instead spent decades ploughing damaging chemical fertilizers into soil to improve plant nitrogen levels and consequently yield. This technology from Myriam Charpentier and her team offers an alternative - harnessing this special relationship for everyone's benefit.
The discovery is causing excitement because it opens the door to the use of endosymbiotic agents as natural alternatives to inorganic fertilisers for major crops. The team's finding offered "great potential for advancing sustainable agriculture"
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