In the laboratories of the University of California at Riverside and Washington University in St. Louis, a team of researchers is rethinking the fundamentals of agriculture. Their starting point: the surprising inefficiency of photosynthesis. This biological process, the basis of almost all life on Earth, converts only a measly 1% of the light energy absorbed by plants into chemical energy.
A limitation that scientists now propose to circumvent thanks to a radically new approachwithout drones and without AI, this time. “ We propose a new framework for agriculture, electro-agriculture, which combines the electrolysis of CO2 and biological systems to optimize food production », explains the team of scientists in their published paper in the magazine cell.
New generation agricultural buildings
In theory, electro-agriculture as proposed by this research team would completely transform our rural landscapes. The vast cultivated areas would give way to multi-story buildings clad in solar panels. These installations would capture solar energy to fuel a chemical reaction between CO2 and water, producing acetate – a simple organic molecule, closely related to vinegar.
According to their calculations, adopting this method would allow the United States to reduce their current agricultural areas by 94%. Feng Jiao, an electrochemist at Washington University explains: “ The main objective of this new process is to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis. Currently, we achieve around 4% efficiency, which is already four times higher than that of natural photosynthesis. And since everything is more efficient with this method, the carbon footprint linked to food production is considerably reduced. “.
Currently, he and his team are continuing their research within the CURB (Carbon Utilization Redesign for Biomanufacturing-Empowered Decarbonization) Engineering Research Center to further optimize the conversion of CO2 into acetate.
Plant metabolic memory
Researchers explore the genetic secrets of plants to make their vision a reality. Their inspiration comes from a precise mechanism: at the time of their germination, plants activate a specific metabolic pathway to digest the reserves of their seeds. This capacity, put to sleep as soon as photosynthesis takes over, could be reactivated in adult plants.
Robert E. Jinkerson, co-author of this research, makes a simple comparison to better understand the phenomenon : “ It’s comparable to lactose intolerance in humans: when we are babies we can digest lactose from milk, but in many people this mechanism stops as they grow up. The idea is similar, but applied to plants “.
The first tests on tomatoes and lettuce show promising results, with specimens capable of using photosynthesis and acetate simultaneously. The final objective: to create varieties entirely fed with acetate, completely free from their dependence on light.
Beyond plants, a complete ecosystem
The team’s ambitions go beyond vegetables or fruits. Indeed, certain organizations, such as mushrooms, yeasts and algaealready have the natural ability to use acetate as an energy source. “ These applications could be commercialized first, even before modified plants », specifies Jinkerson.
Scientists also aim high-calorie food crops : cassava, sweet potatoes and cereals are in their sights. They also see the possibility of producing egg proteins and dairy products using acetate-powered fermentation processes. Lab-grown meat could also benefit from this technology.
Although economic incentives are not yet sufficient to replace traditional agriculture, the environmental benefits of this method would be considerable. Freed agricultural land could be returned to nature, promoting ecological restoration and natural carbon sequestration on a large scale.
However, researchers are keeping their feet on the ground. In their publication, they emphasize the importance a thoughtful development of this technology. The goal is not simply to create a new food production system, but to ensure that it corrects the imbalances of the current system rather than perpetuating them.
- A new method, electro-agriculture, makes it possible to quadruple the efficiency of photosynthesis using acetate.
- In the USA, it could reduce the agricultural land needed for food production by 94%.
- This technology would enable the creation of food, proteins and meat grown without reliance on light.
