Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ADSOILS (ADvanced SOILs for the agritech R&D)
Reporting period: 2023-11-01 to 2025-04-30
The use of soil amendments (N/P/K fertilisers or pesticides) and modern crop varieties (e.g. dwarf wheat varieties) tripled crop yields in the late 20th century at the expense of soil health. Both the breeding and agrochemical sectors are now seeking ways for root systems to acquire water and nutrient more efficiently, supplying seeds and compounds or inoculum that reduce soil contamination and make crops resilient to climate change. This is a considerable challenge because the success rate in R&D is very low, with many thousands compounds or genotypes screened for a single product developed. Minor improvements in the selection of candidate root/soil molecule or genotype at the laboratory or glasshouse stage can therefore have a large effect on the success rate and cost of product development in the seed and agrochemical industry.
The objective of the project is to develop techniques for the fabrication of artificial soils (called AdSoils) that allow for screening below ground processes in laboratory or greenhouse trials. The technology is based on transparent soils, where in situ observation can be made during watering because the soil particles have a refractive index equal to that of the soil solution. The techniques was demonstrated in previous research and the project is focused on investigating fabrication methods that allow the scaling up of the production and testing the capacity of real time acquisition of data on root systems, soil microbes and any other compounds that affect the optical properties of the medium.
The objective of the project is to develop techniques for the fabrication of artificial soils (called AdSoils) that allow for screening below ground processes in laboratory or greenhouse trials. The technology is based on transparent soils, where in situ observation can be made during watering because the soil particles have a refractive index equal to that of the soil solution. The techniques was demonstrated in previous research and the project is focused on investigating fabrication methods that allow the scaling up of the production and testing the capacity of real time acquisition of data on root systems, soil microbes and any other compounds that affect the optical properties of the medium.
The project addressed a number of aspects to advance the AdSoils technology towards practical application in the seed and agrochemical industries. First, the team worked with industrial partners to develop efficient methods for producing granules with the desired particle size and shape. Also, the project's chemists synthesised various molecules and tested their ability to improve the wettability of fluorinated polymers, which are typically unreactive and hydrophobic. In partnership with seed and fertiliser companies, agronomic trials have been conducted on lettuce and radish plants using AdSoils. In addition, an Intellectual Property (IP) landscape study was carried out which gave a positive assessment of the potential of these new substrates.
The project has advanced the state of the art in several important ways. On the applied side, it has identified effective solutions for manufacturing the granular substrate on a large scale while maintaining controlled optical and physical properties. On the materials science side, the project has discovered a new class of molecules capable of coating the core particles. These coatings are essential for improving soil wettability and transparency, and also offer opportunities to reduce the production costs of AdSoils. Agronomic trials with AdSoils have shown that the new substrates can support small crop growth for longer than previously reported. Based on these results and the patentability of the technology, a commercialisation strategy and funding plan have been developed to support the further development of AdSoils into market-ready products.