If a crop isn’t ready to take up a fertilizer when it’s applied, the chemicals run off the field and end up in waterways. This not only wastes money, it creates destructive algae blooms. Carleton University’s Maria DeRosa is using nanotechnology to make a smart fertilizer that delivers its nutrients only when the crop needs it. Working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, DeRosa is working to program the coating of biodegradable fertilizer capsules to release nutrients when it receives a signal from the crops.
The technology could help feed the world’s growing population.