Sustainability

This part was written by Yingjie Sun, Xinxin Li and Ye Zhu with AI assistant.

Overview

Our team is committed to leveraging synthetic biology not just as a tool for innovation, but as a catalyst for sustainable agricultural practices. While our current project focuses on developing a novel bio-pesticide targeting peach gummosis, its core principles-environmental health, economic viability, and social equity-are designed to be scalable and adaptable across crops and regions. We believe true sustainability rests on three pillars, and here is how our project contributes to each on a broader scale.

1. Environmental Sustainability: Protecting the Environment

Some conventional chemical pesticides, while effective in the short term, might pose significant threats to ecosystems. Our bio-pesticide offers a more eco-friendly alternative:

  • Reduction of Chemical Load: By providing a highly specific biological solution, we aim to drastically reduce the reliance on broad-spectrum chemical pesticides. This minimizes soil and water contamination, protecting local biodiversity and preventing the accumulation of harmful residues.
  • Targeted Action: Our dsRNAs will be specifically target the pathogens responsible for peach gummosis (e.g. Botryosphaeria dothidea and Lasiodiplodia theobromae). This precision greatly reduces the collateral damage to beneficial insects, soil microbes, and other non-target organisms, preserving the ecological balance of the orchard.
  • Biodegradability: RNA-based biopesticide and its byproducts are fully biodegradable. They will naturally decompose after fulfilling their function, leaving no long-term toxic legacy in the environment.
  • Soil Health Maintenance: A healthier microbiome can lead to improved soil structure and fertility.

2. Economic Sustainability: Empowering Farmers

Peach gummosis leads to increased management costs and field loss. Our solution is designed to be not only effective but also sustainable for farmers:

  • Boost farmers' income: Reduce the cost of orchard management, and at the same time increase income by extracting chitinase from leaves.
  • Potential for Localized Production: Our plant-based chitinase production model can potentially be adopted to foster regional economic opportunities, reduce transportation emissions, and support decentralized, sustainable bio-economies.

3. Social Sustainability: Safeguarding Communities and Consumers

The impact of our project extends beyond the orchard to touch the lives of agricultural workers and consumers.

  • Enhanced Food Safety: By minimizing chemical pesticide residues on peaches, our project contributes to safer food products for consumers. This aligns with the growing global demand for green food.
  • Ensured Well-being of Farmers: Some chemical pesticide application may pose significant health risks to farmers through inhalation and dermal exposure. Our bio-pesticide presents a much safer alternative, protecting the health and well-being of agricultural workers.
  • Preservation of Cultural Heritage: In many regions, peach cultivation is not just an industry but a deep-rooted cultural tradition. By safeguarding the health of peach orchards, our project supports the preservation of these cultures.
  • Public Education: Through our human practices work, we engaged with the public to educate them on the benefits and safety of synthetic biology applications in agriculture, fostering greater understanding and acceptance of innovative scientific solutions.

Conclusion: An Integrated Vision for the Future

Our GumEraser+ project is more than solutions of peach gummosis. It is a scalable model for a sustainable and resilient agricultural system. It respects planetary boundaries, promotes economic prosperity, and advances social responsibility. We are not only fighting a plant disease, but also creating a healthier future for our planet and us as humans.