Researchers at Empa and Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi have introduced microorganisms into sand to make it more suitable for agriculture.
Climate change, excessive land use and deforestation are increasing desertification across the world. This leads to the loss of nutrients in soil, causing vegetation to become sparse and exposing the ground to erosion by wind and water.
Turning desert back into fertile soil requires enormous resources, especially water, which is difficult to get in these regions. But by adding specific bacteria and fungi, the scientists were able to give the sand a better bond and structure between grains.
These structural networks are formed by biopolymers which are natural molecules consisting of long chains.
The microorganisms make the biopolymers into fibres that permeate the sand, creating a natural composite material.
These experiments were only the first step. The researchers will now use the biopolymers in greenhouses to see what affect they have on plant growth and test the potential of the technology in agriculture.
