sustainability
Sustainability in plant science refers to practices and systems that allow plant production and ecosystems to continue meeting human and environmental needs over long periods. This is particularly important in plant biology because plants are foundational to food security, carbon cycling, and biodiversity—systems that must remain functional amid climate change and resource constraints. Research in plant sustainability addresses how to develop productive agricultural and natural systems that do not degrade the environmental foundations they depend on.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 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