Alternative Future (#4): The food that fertilizes itself | Giles E.D. Oldroyd
Summary
Host Cherrelle Dorsey introduces a curated playlist exploring intentional futures, featuring Dr. Giles Oldroyd’s talk on sustainable agriculture. Oldroyd details how rewiring crops to harness beneficial microbes can replace polluting synthetic fertilizers. He explains the genetic potential for cereal crops to fix nitrogen like soybeans, promising a microbial revolution for global food security.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Building a better future on purpose
Soybeans and the promise of self-fertilizing crops
Sponsor: Toyota's new all-electric family
Sponsor: Rinse laundry delivery service
Sponsor: Creighton University online programs
Nitrogen fixation in soybean root nodules
Mycorrhizal fungi and nutrient uptake
The environmental cost of inorganic fertilizers
Rewiring crops to engage with fungi proactively
Transferring nitrogen fixation to cereal crops
Engineering nodules and the microbial revolution
Companies developing microbial fertilizer alternatives
Conclusion and production credits
Sponsor: Toyota electric vehicle lineup
Sponsor: Rinse laundry service
Sponsor: Sephora beauty products
Listen ad-free on Castria