A novel bioencapsulation strategy for delivering plant growth promoting bacteria via cotton seeds to improve crop yield and shelf stability.
Jahnavi KVS, Pandove G, Brar SK, Sidhu AS, Arora V
Crop Improvement
Coating seeds with helpful bacteria instead of synthetic fertilizers is a practical path toward food grown with fewer chemicals and more resilience to the erratic weather patterns already reshaping growing seasons worldwide.
Scientists created a special coating for cotton seeds that keeps helpful soil bacteria alive and active inside a gel made from common ingredients like starch and a seaweed-derived substance called alginate. When farmers plant these coated seeds, the bacteria wake up and help the plant grow stronger roots and absorb nutrients more efficiently. In real farm trials, this simple coating boosted cotton fiber yields by more than 20% compared to uncoated seeds.
Key Findings
Bioencapsulated seeds maintained greater than 80% germination rate and approximately 2.9 log₁₀ CFU/seed bacterial viability after 12 months of storage
Field trials in Punjab, India showed seed cotton yield improvements of 10.6–12.3% depending on the bacterial strain used
Lint (cotton fiber) yield increased by 21.9–23.2%, with the optimal coating formula being 1.5% sodium alginate, 7.5% PVA, 5% starch, and 10% glycerol
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers developed a way to coat cotton seeds with beneficial bacteria locked inside a protective gel, keeping the bacteria alive for over a year and boosting cotton yields by up to 23% — without chemical fertilizers.
Abstract Preview
Cotton is a vital cash crop in India that is predominantly cultivated in rainfed regions and is increasingly affected by climate change, which leads to poor seed germination and seedling establishm...
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