SEED FUND Project GreenGel

Bifunctional nanogel-based fertilizers for controlled nutrition of plants

Abstract

Reducing fertilizer demands by optimising nutrient supply and thereby increasing agricultural production is of high importance for a sustainable bioeconomy. The GreenGel project aims to develop a novel technology platform for controlled compound release on plant leaves through nutrient loaded containers (nanogels) which are immobilized through anchoring peptides. Nanogels will be designed with tuneable release kinetics of nutrients and reengineered anchoring peptides shall ensure a strong and rain-withstanding binding of loaded nanogels on plant leaves. A demand matching and long-lasting nutrient release contributes to fertilizer stewardship and thereby to the general aim of the Bioeconomy Science Center for a sustainable and integrated bioeconomy in which discipline boarders are bridge to develop novel solutions.

Impact on bioeconomy

The GreenGel project will provide a proof of concept for a novel plant nutrition technology based on fertilizer-loaded nanogel containers which can be used in aqueous media at ambient temperatures to load nutrients onto the surface of plant leaves and seeds. Functional nanogels can likely serve additional purposes (e.g. by being loaded with insecticides or pesticides, acting as water reservoirs, pH-regulators, scavengers of pollutants or entrapping nitrogen-producing bacteria or other plant beneficial microorganisms). In essence, the GreenGel project will in case of success have as innovative and interdisciplinary technology platform a significant impact on fertilizer stewardship and food production.

Expected results/project products

We will develop polymer nanogels decorated with surface grafted anchoring peptides (for targeted attachment to the seed or leaf surface) and chelating groups in the nanogel interior (for efficient complexation of Fe2+/Fe3+- or Zn2+ ions). The specific binding properties of nanogels to the root or leaf surfaces will allow targeted localization of the containers in the close proximity of the plants and providing efficient and controlled transfer of nutrients to the plant. The porous nanogel structure and stimuli-responsive behavior will allow regulating the diffusion of the nutrients to the plant and avoiding overdose.

Participating Core Groups

Coordinators
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schwaneberg
Dr. Felix Jakob
Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie
RWTH Aachen University
Worringerweg 3
522074 Aachen
Phone: +49 241 80 - 24170
Fax: +49 241 80- 22387
email: u.schwaneberg@biotec.rwth-aachen.de
f.jakob@biotec.rwth-aachen.de

Partners

Prof. Dr. Andrij Pich, Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie, RWTH Aachen University

Prof. Dr. Heiner Goldbach, Dr. Thomas Eichert, Professur für Pflanzenernährung, Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES), Universität Bonn

Funding period
01.11.2014 – 31.10.2015

Funding

The total budget of GreenGel is € 149.865. GreenGel is part of the NRW-Strategieprojekt BioSC and thus funded by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Research of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia.