Researchers have identified several key compounds that shape the microbial communities dwelling around plant roots and soil, opening up the possibility for agricultural strategies that precisely and sustainably improve plant health and crop yields. One such compound was serotonin, a signaling molecule commonly known for its role in mood regulation. In this context, serotonin was found to enhance plant growth and shape microbial communities living around plant roots under nutrient-rich conditions.
Biosciences FY25 LDRD Projects
The projects of 23 Biosciences Area scientists and engineers received funding through the FY25 Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program.
EcoFAB: A Tool for Combating Climate Change and Training the Next Generation
Fabricated ecosystems—EcoFABs—are plastic, takeout box–sized growth chambers developed at Berkeley Lab to be a standardized and reproducible platform for conducting experiments on model plants and the microbes that live around their roots. A greater understanding of how plants and microbes work together to store vast amounts of atmospheric carbon in the soil will help in the design of better bioenergy crops for the fight against climate change.
Improving Climate Predictions by Unlocking the Secrets of Soil Microbes
A Berkeley Lab–led team of scientists has developed a new model that incorporates genetic information from microbes, enabling them to ascertain how soil microbes store carbon supplied by plant roots. The model could inform agricultural strategies to preserve carbon in the soil, supporting both plant growth and climate change mitigation.
Biosciences Area FY24 LDRD Projects
The projects of 21 Biosciences Area scientists and engineers received funding through the FY24 Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program.
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