BRIDGES - Sustainable development of agriculture using nanofertilizers based on amine-epoxide structured gels embedded with molybdenum clusters.

• Grant number: 24/19077-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Ferreira Molina
• Grantee: Eduardo Ferreira Molina
• Principal researcher abroad: CORDIER
• Institution abroad: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/06552-1 - TASTYGEL: sustainable release of nutrients by smart micro- and nanogels based on polyetheramines-bisepoxide for Agriculture purposes, AP.JP2

Abstract

Molybdenum nutrition is an essential component to healthy plant growth. Molybdate which is the predominant form available to plants is required at very low levels where it is known to participate in various redox reactions in plants. The reduction or loss of Mo-dependent enzyme activity, either directly or through diminished internal molybdenum levels, adversely affects plant development, particularly processes related to nitrogen metabolism. Micro/nano sized polymeric particles as carriers for nutrients offer an innovative and sustainable way in agricultural science for plant health care and food production. BRIDGES aims to establish a link between polymer science, nanotechnology, and sustainability for optimizing technologies associated with the agricultural sector. Polymeric micro- and nanoparticles based on aliphatic polyether diamine and bisepoxide containing molybdenum (Mo) clusters will be synthesized and fully characterized. Such novel loaded hybrid polymeric systems will release Mo species as nutrients, at controllable rates, promoting positive influence at various stages of plant development from germination, growth, flowering, and onto fruit formation. Playing with the nature of polyetheramines (EO, PO, or mixed PO/EO), the chemical compositions of starting cluster precursors and the [cluster precursor]/[ polyetheramines] ratio, we will optimize the release Mo cluster amount as a function of time. Their effect in different stage of soybean (Glycine max) plant growth (germination, vegetative and reproductive period) will be assessed. By understanding the formation and characteristics (hydrophilicity, thermal properties, size, capacity to incorporate different species, and so on) of these polymers we will be able to expand these materials to several agricultural applications including (i) the optimization of plant crop and protection (ii) the facilitation of the controlled release of agrochemicals, and (iii) the enhancement of food industries processes. (AU)