Nitrogen fertilizers are essential for growing crops around the world, but plants currently absorb only about 50 percent of what is applied. The remaining nitrogen pollutes water supplies and releases nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. Producing and transporting chemical fertilizers is also costly and dangerous.
To solve this problem, researchers from New York University and the INGEBI institute in Argentina studied how plants control nutrient intake. They discovered a key protein named HHO5, which acts as a signal for nitrogen satiety. When a plant has enough nitrogen, HHO5 levels rise and stop it from taking up more from the soil. When HHO5 combines with another protein called WRKY21, it helps the plant process nutrients and defend itself.
In laboratory tests with a small plant called Arabidopsis, plants without HHO5 absorbed nearly three times more nitrogen than normal ones. By controlling or turning off this protein, scientists hope to create crops that take in nitrogen more efficiently. This technology could help farmers use less fertilizer, saving money and reducing damage to the environment.
Difficult words
- essential — completely necessary and important for a specific purpose
- absorb — to take in or soak up liquid or gasabsorbed
- intake — the amount of food or nutrients taken in
- fertilizer — a substance added to soil to help plants grow betterfertilizers
- efficient — working well and effectively without wasting energy or materialsefficiently
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why is it important to reduce the amount of fertilizer used in farming?
- How could technology that helps plants absorb nutrients better affect the environment?
- What are some simple ways people can protect local water supplies from pollution?
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