Fungus Can Increase Flower, Seed and Fruit Production in Plants: New Method for Agriculture

As the world population grows, it's important to continue to develop methods to increase crop yield in order to feed the burgeoning masses. Now, one scientist has developed a method to enhance crop yield through the contact of roots, aerial parts or even the substratum of a plant fungus.

The plant fungus in question is called Colletotrichum tofieldiae. It's already well-known in the agriculture sector as a plant pathogen. Yet it turns out that this species has other subspecies that do not harm the host plant. Instead, these subspecies have many benefits.

In this case, the researchers applied a composition that contains Colletotrichum tofieldiae to a plant. They found that when this plant fungus was applied, the plant produced bigger seeds without substantially affecting its vegetative growth. In other words, the application produced an efficient usage of the plant resources.

The new method could help increase crop yields. Its application is actually similar to fertilizer use, but the results are better and there's also a lack of contamination that's usually associated with mineral fertilizers. This means that the fungus could potentially be used in agriculture, horticulture, forestry plants, ornamental plants or any other plant with commercial interest.

Because the new method increases the number, size or weight of a plant's seeds, fruits and flower, the researchers believe this could be a major way to contribute to increased food production. Not only that, but it may just be more environmentally friendly than mineral fertilizers that are currently employed.

The current has now been patented and the patent itself can be found here.