Farms.com Home   News

Scientists Discover Way to Make Crops Grow in Salty Soils

Scientists Discover Way to Make Crops Grow in Salty Soils
Scientists from Brigham Young University (BYU) have successfully inoculated alfalfa with salt tolerant bacteria, a breakthrough in the fight to reverse falling crop yields caused by increasingly salty farmlands around the world.
 
Led by Brent Nielsen, professor of microbiology and molecular biology, the BYU research team used bacteria found in the roots of salt tolerant plants to successfully inoculate alfalfa plants against overly salty soil. According to Nielsen, they took the roots of the salt tolerant plants, ground them, and grew the bacteria in the lab. They were able to collect more than 40 different bacteria isolates, some of which tolerate ocean-level salt content.
 
 
 
Click here to see more...

Trending Video

AgMatters Episode 3: Why Doing The Right Thing Matters

Video: AgMatters Episode 3: Why Doing The Right Thing Matters

we explore what it means to "do the right thing" in agriculture and how sustainability is shaping the industry. This episode features David McInnes, Former President & CEO of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute, who shares insights into Canada's first Food Sustainability Index—a collaborative effort among over 140 partners to measure sustainability across environmental, economic, and societal dimensions. David highlights the importance of providing sustainable outcomes to stay competitive in global markets.

We also hear from Hailey Jefferies, President and Co-founder of Prairie Fava, as she discusses building a business around Manitoba-grown fava beans. Hailey shares how Prairie Fava is creating new markets for this high-protein, nitrogen-fixing crop while benefiting from Manitoba’s robust entrepreneurial network.