Bionic Leaf Creates Its Own Fertilizer

Apr-03-17 An innovative bionic leaf from Harvard University creates its own fertilizer to provide a more bountiful harvest.

The leaf technology was developed by a team from MIT led by Daniel Nocera, and was based in part on the team’s previous artificial leaves able to mimic photosynthesis or create energy.

The new artificial leaf was created to help address the inevitable population growth and the food needs that will accompany it. The device relies on the Xanthobacter bacteria, which will extract nitrogen from the air to create ammonia fertilizer. In tests, the crops grown using the bionic leaf fertilizer weighed up to 150 percent more than crops grown conventionally.

Image: The radishes on the right were grown with the help of the bionic leaf.

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[DIGITALTRENDS.COM]
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