If corn was ever jealous of soybean’s relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, advancements in gene editing could one day even the playing field. A recent study from the University of ...

New research from the University of Illinois shows that gene-edited bacteria can supply early corn plants the equivalent of 35 pounds of nitrogen from the air. Study co-author Connor Sible, research ...

For years, attempts have therefore been made to transfer the natural nitrogen fixation in bacteria and archaea to crops. The enzyme nitrogenase is responsible for the binding of nitrogen.

For example, root exudates from legume plants (e.g., peas, clover, soybeans) serve as a signal to certain species of Rhizobium, which are nitrogen-fixing bacteria. This signal attracts the ...

The biological route to fixing nitrogen is done by diazotrophs, nitrogen-fixing bacteria that contain an enzyme called nitrogenase. In contrast to the Haber-Bosch process, nitrogenase can be ...

Nitrogen is a critical limiting ... where the bacteria first attach using a Ca 2+ - binding protein called rhicadhesin. After the bacteria accumulate and anchor themselves to the root hair surface ...

For years, attempts have therefore been made to transfer the natural nitrogen fixation in bacteria and archaea to crops. The enzyme nitrogenase is responsible for the binding of nitrogen.

Gene-edited soil bacteria can supply corn with up to 35 pounds of nitrogen per acre from the atmosphere during early growth, potentially reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers.