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In the laboratories of the University of California at Riverside and Washington University in St. Louis, a team of researchers is rethinking the fundamentals of agriculture. Their starting point: the surprising inefficiency of photosynthesis. This biological process, the basis of almost all life on Earth, converts only a meager 1% of the light energy absorbed by plants into chemical energy.
A limitation that scientists are now proposing to circumvent thanks to a radically new approach, without drones and without AI, this time. ” We propose a new framework for agriculture, electro-agriculture, which combines CO2 electrolysis and biological systems to optimize food production ,” explains the team of scientists in their paper published in the journal Cell.
Next-generation agricultural buildings
In theory, electro-agriculture as proposed by this research team would completely transform our rural landscapes. Vast areas of cultivated land would be replaced by multi-story buildings clad in solar panels. These installations would harness solar energy to fuel a chemical reaction between CO2 and water, producing acetate—a simple organic molecule closely related to vinegar.
According to their calculations, adopting this method would allow the United States to reduce its current agricultural area by 94%. Feng Jiao, an electrochemist at Washington University, explains: “The main objective of this new process is to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis. Currently, we achieve about 4% efficiency, which is already four times higher than that of natural photosynthesis. And because everything is more efficient with this method, the carbon footprint of food production is significantly reduced ».
Currently, he and his team are continuing their research at the CURB (Carbon Utilization Redesign for Biomanufacturing-Empowered Decarbonization) Engineering Research Center to further optimize the conversion of CO2 into acetate.
The Metabolic Memory of Plants
Researchers are exploring the genetic secrets of plants to realize their vision. Their inspiration comes from a precise mechanism: at the time of their germination, plants activate a specific metabolic pathway to digest the reserves of their seeds. This capacity, put to sleep as soon as photosynthesis takes over, could be reactivated in adult plants.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Robert E. Jinkerson, co-author of this research, makes a simple comparison to better understand the phenomenon: ” It's comparable to lactose intolerance in humans: when we're babies, we can digest the lactose in milk, but in many people, this mechanism stops as they grow. The idea is similar, but applied to plants “.
The first tests on tomatoes and lettuces show promising results, with specimens capable of using photosynthesis and acetate simultaneously. The ultimate goal: to create strains that are entirely acetate-fed, completely free from their dependence on light.
Beyond plants, a complete ecosystem
The team's ambitions extend beyond vegetables and fruits. In fact, some organisms, such as fungi, yeast, and algae, already have the natural ability to use acetate as an energy source. “These applications could be commercialized first, even before engineered plants,” Jinkerson says.
The scientists are also targeting high-calorie food crops: cassava, sweet potatoes and cereals are in their sights. They also see the possibility of producing egg proteins and dairy products through fermentation processes fueled by acetate. Lab-grown meat could also benefit from this technology.
Although the economic incentives are not yet sufficient to replace traditional agriculture, the environmental benefits of this method would be considerable. The freed-up agricultural land could be returned to nature, promoting ecological restoration and natural carbon sequestration on a large scale.
However, the researchers are keeping their feet on the ground. In their publication, they stress the importance of thoughtful development of this technology. The goal is not simply to create a new food production system, but to ensure that it corrects the imbalances in the current system rather than perpetuating them.
- A new method, electro-agriculture, quadruples the efficiency of photosynthesis using acetate.
- In the USA, it could reduce the agricultural land needed for food production by 94%.
- This technology would allow the creation of food, proteins and meat grown without dependence on light.
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