Increasing drought resistance in crops by 25% - controlling epigenetic expression to abiotic stress through biostimulants and micronutrients

"**VISION:** Working with the Sustainable Agriculture Department at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), we intend to map the epigenetic pathways of drought-related abiotic stress in crops and develop the first biostimulant-micronutrient formula to increase drought resistance by 25% -- with the aim of reducing the water consumption (irrigation) required by agriculture without damaging productivity.


**BACKGROUND**: The project builds upon the success of Innovate UK project 710633, in which we managed to increase bell pepper (UK's most heat sensitive crop) epigenetic expression to abiotic heat stress - using biostimulants, intermediates for growth and micronutrients.

**OBJECTIVES:** Utilising this increased understanding of epigenetics, we intend to extend this abiotic stress response mapping to five indicator crops and develop a novel bio-solution that genetically suppresses a plant's negative responses to reduced soil moisture (drought conditions) and provides the necessary micronutrients to stimulate continued healthy and productive growth under conditions when the plant would normally fail.

**FOCUS:** The solution will be targeted at crops with a high water or irrigation requirement such as potatoes, spring wheat, peas, lettuce and pak choi. These crops provide the best indicator crops for a wider range of food crops grown worldwide.

Our aim is to reduce the impact of climate change on crops around the world, as water becomes an increasingly scarce resource and growing conditions become hotter and drier in key production areas. We believe this can be achieved using a unique, proprietary combination of mostly natural plant-extracts and substances that are also safe, toxin-free (even when applied multiple times at high rates -Campden BRI 2017) not requiring long term plant breeding programmes or politically unacceptable genetic modification.

**INNOVATION:** When developed, we expect this unique new combination of micronutrients and biostimulants to significantly increase a crop's resistance to all forms of abiotic stress and stimulate growth in environments where moisture is limited. Our initial research (from Innovate UK project 710633, and field tests) suggests a 25% reduction in water consumption will be possible, whilst increases in yields (up to 30%), fruit production (40%), shelf life (44%), disease resistance, palatability and mineral content are also achievable.

**OUTCOME:** We are at the forefront of biostimulant and micronutrient technology and this project will help us realise a £30m+ global opportunity. Farmers in turn will benefit from reduced crop losses, improved yields, strengthened supply chains, reduced impact of climate change and increased agricultural sustainability, in line with Innovate UK's H&LS aims. ROI: 622%"