Chemistries for Targeted Delivery of Agrochemicals: Development and Feasibility TestingGilbertson, Leanne (2020) Chemistries for Targeted Delivery of Agrochemicals: Development and Feasibility Testing. In: Pitt Momentum Fund 2020, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Unpublished)
Abstract"Approximately 55 MMT of the annually applied N-based fertilizer is not assimilated by the crop, wasting quadrillions BTU of embodied energy and leading to 245,000 km2 of eutrophic waters that carry a billion-dollar price tag in terms of damages to the environment, human health, and economies that rely on these water bodies. Further, 4 million tons of pesticides are used annually in global crop production with less than 20% reaching the plant. The inherent toxicity and persistence of many pesticides lead to severe adverse human and ecological impacts. These are just a few facts that demonstrate the need to develop sustainable alternative technologies and approaches to advance agriculture. The sustainable agriculture challenge has been recognized by both the National Academy of Sciences and the United Nations. The proposed research aims to address this challenge through the design and development of terminal surface chemistries that can target specific components of the crop with the goal of more efficient agrochemical delivery. This seeding grant will support the (i) identification of unique target compounds (e.g., in/near the root, leaf surfaces, internal plant cells) and (ii) demonstration of the preferred interaction of candidate terminal functionalities to be pursued through the following objectives: 1. Identify candidate chemistries for selective binding to intended targets that are economically viable for application in the agriculture industry. The criteria used in Objective 1 will ensure that promising chemistries that result from Objectives 2 and 3 have significant potential for successful implementation in agriculture. The collective findings from this seeding grant will serve as a foundation for follow-on funding to further develop the delivery of sought from a variety of different sources." Share
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