fungal-engineering
Fungal-engineering involves the deliberate modification and manipulation of fungi to enhance plant health, growth, and resilience through optimized symbiotic relationships. This field is significant to plant science because it leverages natural fungal associations—such as mycorrhizal networks—to improve nutrient uptake, drought tolerance, and disease resistance without relying solely on chemical inputs. By engineering these fungal partnerships, researchers can develop more sustainable approaches to agriculture and horticulture while strengthening plant productivity in diverse environmental conditions.
PubMed · 2026-02-20
Researchers developed stronger, more affordable bio-based materials using engineered fungi by adding minerals to fungal networks and mimicking lichen growth patterns. This could enable cost-effective, sustainable alternatives to traditional materials with built-in self-healing abilities.
Mineralization enhances mechanical strength of fungal-based mycomaterials
Surface display of silicatein α enzyme from sea sponges on fungal hyphae enables mineral incorporation
Synthetic lichen-based growth model reduces production costs while maintaining performance