At NUST MISIS, Gazeta.ru was told that Russian scientists have created a biodegradable polymer substrate to stimulate the growth of wheat.
Due to its chemical composition and biodegradable properties, the material plays not only the role of a substrate, but also a nutrient medium. During decomposition, the substrate will replace nutritional mineral supplements.
“On polymer substrates, the height of wheat sprouts is on average 1 cm higher than in control samples. The mass and length of roots are significantly higher in seedlings grown on nonwoven materials. The substrates themselves are a supplier of carbon dioxide and heat to the seeds, as they degrade under the influence of water and wheat enzymes, accelerating germination. In closed ground, they disappear in 4-6 months,” one of the study’s authors Yulia Tertyshnaya, senior researcher at the Institute of Biochemical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Physical Chemistry Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Polymer Compositions, told socialbites.ca.
Compositions based on biopolymers can be used for pre-sowing treatment of seeds and for the manufacture of coating materials. Such materials will not only provide seeds with protection from aggressive environmental factors such as birds and wind, but also create the necessary microclimate for proper seed germination and plant growth.
To create the material, the authors used polylactide (PLA) and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB). To these were added natural and nitrile butadiene rubber by electrospinning. To obtain ultrafine fibers, electrostatic forces act on an electrically charged jet polymer solution, as a result, the biomaterials are strongly stretched and acquire a sticky structure.