Duckweed as "green manure" and plant-growth promoting bacteria of its rhizosphere as biofertilizers

Alternative fertilizers are urgently needed for transition to sustainable agriculture, which is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 2 of the United Nations. According to some projections, the phosphorus supply for mineral fertilizers will be depleted by 2050. Moreover, the overreliance on mineral fertilizers severely disturbed the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in nature and led to global water eutrophication. Duckweed and plant-growth promoting bacteria from its rhizosphere may be used to overcome this challenge. Duckweed can utilize excess nitrogen and sequester phosphorus suspended in various types of wastewater, e.g., agricultural runoff. Moreover, duckweed can be harvested periodically and potentially used as the "green manure" to improve the soil quality. Duckweed also actively select beneficial microogranisms, including the plant-growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) which can stimulate the productivity, yield, and resilience of plants. The PGPB combined with duckweed biomass may significantly increase the productivity of the crops while reducing the negative environmental impact and costs associated with production and transport of mineral fertilizers. I am therefore interested in joining an ongoing HORIZON project focusing on sustainable agriculture, wastewater treatment, and circular economy.