First Microneedle-Based Drug Delivers Agrochemicals to Plants to Improve Crop Quality

Due to worsening environmental conditions brought on by climate change, an ever-increasing human population, limited resources, and a lack of arable land, the agriculture industry is under pressure to develop precise and sustainable agricultural practices that enable more efficient use of resources.

To ensure high productivity and high-quality output while reducing resource waste, delivery systems that effectively administer micronutrients, herbicides, and antibiotics in crops are essential.

Unfortunately, present and accepted methods for applying agrochemicals to plants are ineffective.

These actions have serious negative repercussions on the environment, including contamination of the water and soil, loss of biodiversity, and deteriorated ecosystems, as well as public health issues, such as respiratory issues, chemical exposure, and food contamination.

Microneedle-based drug delivery technique for plants

(Photo : Sebastian Lopez Brach/Getty Images)

The first-ever microneedle-based drug delivery method for plants has been created by researchers from the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT's research enterprise in Singapore.

They also worked with collaborators from Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

For research purposes, the technique can be utilized to precisely distribute regulated doses of agrochemicals to particular plant tissues.

It could be utilized in precision agriculture to enhance crop quality and disease management when implemented in the field.

The agriculture sector is under pressure to adopt more precise and sustainable practices that promote the efficient use of resources (such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides) and the mitigation of environmental impacts due to changing environmental conditions brought on by climate change, an ever-growing human population, a lack of arable land, and limited resources.

It is essential to develop delivery methods that effectively apply agrochemicals, such as micronutrients, pesticides, and antibiotics, to crops in order to maximize yields and minimize resource waste.

By delivering and aiming a known amount of payload straight into a plant's deep tissues, the revolutionary silk-based microneedles approach created by SMART overcomes these restrictions and will increase the efficacy of plant development and aid in the treatment of disease.

The method is environmentally sustainable and less invasive because it delivers the substance without permanently harming the plants.

It reduces resource waste and lessens the negative side effects brought on by environmental agrochemical pollution.

Additionally, it will promote precision agricultural methods and offer fresh resources for researching plants and developing crop traits, all of which will contribute to ensuring food security.

The research is discussed in a paper titled "Drug Delivery in Plants Using Silk Microneedles," which was printed in the January 2023 issue of Advanced Materials.

It examines the first-ever polymeric microneedles used to administer small compounds to a variety of plants as well as the reaction of those plants to the injection of biomaterial.

The researchers were able to closely investigate the responses to drug delivery following microneedle injection by gene expression analysis.

A limited amount of scar and callus formation was seen, indicating a minimum amount of plant injury after injections.

The study's proof-of-concept paves the way for the use of plant microneedles in plant biology and agriculture, opening up fresh ways to control plant physiology and research metabolisms through effective and efficient payload delivery.

The co-corresponding author of the paper, TLL Principal Investigator, and Adjunct Assistant Professor at NUS, Professor Daisuke Urano, further explained, "Our research has validated the use of silk-based microneedles for agrochemical application, and we look forward to further developing the technique and microneedle design into a scalable model for manufacturing and commercialization," as per ScienceDaily.

Also Read: How is Climate Change Impacting Agriculture Commodity Prices?

What Methods Other Than Genetic Improvement Can Improve Crop Performance

Agricultural genetic improvement, whether achieved by GM or conventional means, is just one of several strategies that can be employed to enhance crop performance, as per Royal Society.

Improvements in agricultural methods, irrigation, drainage, and the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers are among the others.

A dependable supply of food can also be ensured by improving food transportation and storage to prevent waste.

It is very appealing to employ genetic technologies to raise yields in a sustainable way because growers may easily obtain seeds.

Because seed is tradable, identifiably produced good, it is also a desirable commercial target.

The management strategy a farmer chooses for his or her crops will also be influenced by new knowledge about the interactions between crops and soil bacteria or other plants.

All of these developments, including GM, complement one another and, despite the fact that some may be more expensive to execute than others, all could contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture that satisfies world demand.

Related article: Forests Face Different Threats From Multiple Industries Other Than Agriculture