Nanostructured biomaterials for sustainable and resilient agriculture

For some regions of the UK, the summer of 2022 was the fifth driest in a series from 1836, with daily river flows among the lowest ever recorded (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology). More frequent heatwaves and droughts like this one are forecast in the next years worldwide due to climate change. These events have a dramatic negative impact on agricultural productivity and food security.

Recent research has demonstrated that nanotechnology can offer promising strategies to improve crop yield, crop nutritional quality, and reduce the use of toxic fertilizers by protecting seeds from abiotic stresses, such as water deficit and heat. Current approaches are based on the use of metallic nanoparticles that, however, raise concerns on their possible toxicity on different ecosystems.

This PhD project focuses on developing polymeric nanomaterials that are non-toxic for the environment, biodegradable and able to respond to different environmental stimuli. The nanomaterials will be designed so they can interact with seeds to increase water uptake and keep optimum levels of reactive oxygen species. It is expected that these nanomaterials will modulate plant metabolism to activate