Carbon Nanotubes Shown to Boost Plant Growth, Could Spawn Super-Fertilizers

By Clay Dillow Posted 09.25.2009 at 8:17 am 9 Comments

Carbonated Crops Researchers found that introducing carbon nanotubes to tomato seeds resulted in increased germination rates and stronger seedlings. On the left, the control group; on the right, tomato seedlings exposed to carbon nanotubes. via ACS Nano

Carbon nanotubes have improved existing technologies in fields ranging from electrical circuitry to architecture to materials science. So is it any surprise that when researchers in Arkansas applied the miraculous microscopic structures to tomato seeds, the plants grew faster, stronger, and more plentifully?

The nano-enhanced seeds experienced an increase in germination percentage and better seedling growth, likely due to increased water absorption. Though findings are preliminary, the seeds exposed to nanotubes contained more moisture, which appears to be the catalyst behind their enhanced growth.

On its face, the discovery means carbon nanotubes could potentially unlock a new breed of fertilizers that spur growth in food crops without introducing chemicals to soil and nearby water supplies. Moreover, enhanced growth means enhanced biomass, which could spell big implications for the biofuel arena.

But increased food supply and better biomass doesn’t come without its drawbacks. The effects of nanotubes on the environment aren’t very well documented. Specifically, the way they might move through the food chain could pose problems down the road. Some single-walled nanotubes are toxic to some insects; testing on mice has found multi-layer nanotubes (like the kind used in the study) have carcinogenic effects similar to those of asbestos. Suffice it to say, the golden age of carbon nanotube farming isn’t upon us just yet, but the potential is there, and not just for bigger tomatoes.

[Technology Review]

Previous Article: Faking the Results (and Fixing the Damage Done)

Next Article: Stumbling, Bumbling LittleDog Can Tiptoe Across Tops of Cylinders

Want to learn more about breakthroughs in electronics, medicine, nanotech, and more?
Subscribe to Popular Science today, for less than $1 per issue!

9 Comments

Link to this comment

meyaht

09/25/09 at 10:09 am

it would be nice to see this used in tree farming, assuming you could somehow stop the wildlife from living near or eating parts of the trees.

Link to this comment

caradoc01

09/25/09 at 1:01 pm

Yeah that nasty wildlife, how dare they try to eat their food when we are trying to use it for wood, fuel and clearing because it is in the way of a farmers plow.

Link to this comment

animemaster

09/25/09 at 4:14 pm

Did they try a non nanotube form of carbon to compare with? Perhaps ground up activated charcoal.

Link to this comment

extremechiton

09/25/09 at 8:05 pm

we can use this to combat desertification and turn a desert into a gigantic farm.
increase food production, therefore food prices will drop.

Link to this comment

deegeezee

09/26/09 at 10:23 pm

extremechiton, nanotubes won't conjure water where it doesn't already exist.
-----
and i'll take my produce "possible-asbestosis" free, thanks.

Link to this comment

luke123abc

09/27/09 at 1:09 pm

i agree with animemaster, they should try to see if its any improvement over other carbon forms. its a fairly well known fact that charcoal, when put into the ground stops nutrient leaching and increases the amount of water that can be held in the ground. not to mention charcoal is a lot less labor intensive to produce than nanotubes.

Link to this comment

NOM

09/28/09 at 4:47 pm

What is in the control? It's not soil, so adding anything would probably have had a positive effect.

Link to this comment

freewaffles

10/08/09 at 9:13 pm

to luke123abc and animemaster,
I'm sure someone has tried just putting charcoal into the ground, so if that was a miracle growth substance, it would probably be in use already. If this could be used in tree farming to, say, make them grow considerably faster, the teak business, for instance, could be hugely impacted.

Link to this comment

bejam1n

03/03/11 at 3:51 pm

With the prices of CNTs ranging from $50-$300 a gram I am sure they will make a excellent fertilizer.

Science

+ More Photo Galleries

July 2013: The Future Of Flight

The incredible innovations, like drone swarms and perpetual flight, bringing aviation into the world of tomorrow. Plus: today's greatest sci-fi writers predict the future, the science behind the summer's biggest blockbusters, a Doctor Who-themed DIY 'bot, the organs you can do without, and much more.