European Research Center for Social Development

Tag: Microalgae

  • Hypes, hopes, and the way forward for microalgal biotechnology

    Urge for food security and sustainability has propelled the field of microalgal biotechnology. These microorganisms can grow using light, fertilizers, sugars, CO2, and seawater, providing significant potential as a feedstock for food, feed, energy, and chemicals.

    Microalgae grow faster and have higher areal productivity than traditional plant crops without competing for agricultural land, while also achieving 100% efficiency in fertilizer uptake.

    According to the study, microalgae show higher land-use efficiency compared to bacterial, fungal, and yeast single-cell protein production. The authors provide insights into the potential of microalgae to replace commodities such as soy protein, fish oil, and palm oil.

    Additionally, the researchers highlight the role of microalgae as cell factories in modern industrial biotechnology for producing designer feed, recombinant proteins, biopharmaceuticals, and vaccines.

    Learn more about this study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.12.017

    Reference:

    Barbosa, M. J., Janssen, M., Südfeld, C., D’Adamo, S., & Wijffels, R. H. (2023). Hypes, hopes, and the way forward for microalgal biotechnology. Trends in Biotechnology, 41(3), 452–471.

  • Toward a Sustainable Agriculture Through Plant Biostimulants: From Experimental Data to Practical Applications. Agronomy

    While modern farming has long relied on synthetic chemicals, a shift toward natural alternatives is now essential to meet new international regulations and the growing consumer demand for food without toxic residues.

    Plant biostimulants—which include beneficial microbes like certain bacteria as well as non-microbial substances like seaweed extracts and silicon—offer a sustainable way to complement or even replace traditional fertilizers and pesticides.

    According to the study, these natural tools provide a wide range of benefits for the environment, biodiversity, and human health while also supporting the economy. This collection of research highlights how these biostimulants can significantly improve seedling growth, crop performance, and the overall quality of the harvest.

    Furthermore, the authors emphasize that these substances help plants become much more resilient against environmental stresses such as drought, high temperatures, and poor soil nutrients. By compiling dozens of scientific papers, the researchers aim to foster a better exchange of knowledge between scientists, the fertilizer industry, and farmers.

    They conclude that understanding the inner workings of these biostimulants is key to successfully putting them into practice across different types of farming systems.

    Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101461

    Reference:

    Rouphael, Y., & Colla, G. (2020). Toward a Sustainable Agriculture Through Plant Biostimulants: From Experimental Data to Practical Applications. Agronomy, 10(10), 1461.