Carbon nanoparticle improves photosynthesis, water use and plant access to macro and micro nutrients. Plants metabolize the bioproduct; therefore it does not accumulate in the environment. It can be associated with other products, reducing application costs. It was developed in partnership between the University of Brasilia (UnB) and Embrapa, which originated the startup KrillTech. It is a useful tool in scientific studies, since it can be traced as a biomarker under ultraviolet light. Biostimulating nanoparticles improved the hydroponic system performance of peppers, tomatoes and lettuce. They are for the use in vegetables and other crops and are obtained by the process of thermal carbon modification. The nanoproduct increases the rate of photosynthesis and optimizes water and nutrients use by the plant. This is the result of multidisciplinary research work involving researchers from Embrapa Vegetables (DF) and both students and professors from the University of Brasília (UnB). It is called Krill A32. The product consists of carbonaceous nanoparticles, containing functional groups that can act as nutrients carriers for plants. It has undergone agronomic tests that have proved its efficiency in the three crops. “The results of the tests came quickly, in a few months. Now we have a biofertilizer that provides both favorable nutritional and physiological effects and is metabolized by the plant, that is, it does not accumulate”, says Juscimar da Silva, an Embrapa researcher on Soils and Plant Nutrition. He gives details of the work that led to the adaptation of a technology developed by a group of Chemistry students from UnB until reaching an innovative product for vegetable and other cultures value chain. According to the researcher, Krill A32 also acts as a fertilizer by offering necessary macro and micronutrients for the growth of vegetables, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc. It can promote biofortification “As it is a nanoparticle containing functional groups (surface electrical charges) it is possible to incorporate chemical elements of nutritional importance to its matrix. They will be carried into the plant, which allows advancing in biofortification studies of pulses, for example, that is, enrich the product with minerals to promote the plant nutrition and which can be used by consumers ”, explains Silva. He points out as an advantage the fact that the product is compatible with other fertilizers and agrochemicals. It allows its joint application, avoiding the re-entry of agricultural sprayers in the area, which would impact production costs. Another advantage, according to the researcher, is the possibility of application via soil, or even in water, in the case of hydroponic crops. What is a biostimulant? The Embrapa researcher says that, according to a recent bibliographic review and considering their agricultural functions, biostimulants are products based on natural substances or microorganisms that improve nutritional efficiency, responses to abiotic stresses, productivity and the quality of crops, which do not depend on the nutrient contained (Du Jardi, 2015). According to the study, there is a wide range of products that can be categorized as biostimulants, as amino acids, algae and plant extracts, and carbon-based products, such as humic and fulvic acids, among others. The study The work involving Krill A32 started in 2016, during a conversation with the UnB professor Marcelo Rodrigues, who participated in a meeting at Embrapa Vegetables. In the meeting they discussed the development of technologies for protected cultivation. At the time, they mentioned a process that would provide special optical properties for the plastic to cover greenhouses. “When the carbon nanoparticles with luminescent properties use was mentioned, I identified other potentialities for the material: a product to be used as a plant biostimulant”, says Silva. The professor instantly committed to the idea, favoring the creation of the partnership. The process went through several steps. “The base technology was developed at the Chemistry Institute of UnB, and we participated in the agronomic details, using the infrastructure of the experimental fields of Embrapa Vegetables to carry out tests with tomatoes, peppers and lettuce, initially. Then, the experiments were conducted by professor Daniel Zandonadim from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), in Macaé, in Rio de Janeiro state”, recalls the researcher, who points out the powder form of the product as one of its great advantages. “Due to its use in small quantities, this composition facilitates handling and transportation, even over a large area.” Besides this advantage, he highlights another extremely important scientific feature of the Krill A32. “When exposed to ultraviolet lights, the nanoparticle emits blue or even red light, allowing the product and its distribution to be traced inside the plant. It also identifies whether the product was actually applied or not”, that is, it also serves as a biomarker easily traced and therefore very useful in scientific studies. The technology spawned a new startup Professor Rodrigues says that, based on the partnership between the two institutions, the work with carbonaceous nanomaterials developed by the UnB team received a boost. “Our research has advanced a lot with the results we collected in the first experiments, and with the decision to schedule production, Krilltech was created, a startup to manage scheduling”, reveals Rodrigues. In his opinion, the partnership expanded and leveraged the technology use. "Although there are some tests involving the application of nanotechnology in field conditions, with the work shared with Embrapa Vegetables, I believe that we have already overcome some barriers and I do not see how we would achieve what we did without this partnership", says the professor. In his evaluation, Krill A32 contains all the ingredients of a successful and innovative technology in the biostimulants and biodefensives area. Rodrigues is confident about the future of the technological innovation. "We are started to talk with representatives of agricultural companies to make this technology, which differs from everything that currently exists in the sector, reach the market", he comments. Patent application filed With the definition of the production scale, the group of Krilltech partners – Marcelo Rodrigues and Marcelo Henrique (UnB professors), Atailson Oliveira, Rogério Faria and Carine Vitória (PhD Chemistry students at UnB) – filed the patent application for the technology used in the products at the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) in Brazil at the beginning of the year. With that, the startup now can address issues related to the commercialization of products offered by Krilltech, and form partnerships for the development of new technologies. Technology to feed the world Recent projections by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that the demand for food will increase by more than 50% by 2050, an expansion not followed by the available areas for agriculture. For Rodrigues, who dreams of spreading Krilltec units “all over the world”, nanotechnology is a great ally for food production with better nutritional quality. "Within this context, our technology may be a revolution in the production systems and in the way we dial with sustainable agriculture, which results in benefits for all segments involved in the interfaces of the food issue", he believes. Photo: iStock