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A New Plant Growth Promotion Technology That Stimulates Growth
Next generation biomass production using wastewater and the possibility of using symbiotic bacteria for plant factories
A completely new growth-promoting bacterium, P23, was discovered in ukikusa (subfamily Lemnoideae) at the Hokkaido University Botanical Garden. The P23 bacterium accelerates the growth of plants by stimulating a surface switch. Ukikusa is a high value-added biomass that grows on wastewater as a fertilizer, and symbiosis with P23 doubles its production rate.
Research
The aquatic plant known as ukikusa is a soft biomass that can grow by absorbing nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater and contains almost no lignin or cellulose. Its protein content is approximately 30%, comparable to that of soybeans, and its starch accumulation can reach 50%, depending on the growth environment. Its protein can be used directly as livestock feed, while its starch is useful as a raw material for biofuel production and the production of HMF, a precursor for chemical products. To improve the production yield of the next generation biomass, we are developing technology to promote plant growth with the symbiotic action of surface bacteria. In addition to ukikusa cultivation, it is expected to apply this technology to hydroponic cultivation of vegetables and cereals (plant factories). This is an old but new biotechnology that does not involve genetic modification and follows the natural order of things.
Masaaki Morikawa ProfessorDoctor of Engineering -
Environmentally Friendly Marine Biofouling Prevention Compounds Derived from Biomass
Toxic marine anti-biofouling agents against barnacles and other marine organisms are causing pollution to the marine environment, and it is necessary to develop safe alternatives. We have succeeded in creating potent and low-toxicity compounds by synthesizing biomass-derived compounds. Further optimization is also possible.
Research
The use of the ocean by mankind (e.g., ships and cooling pipes for power plants) is essential, but marine fouling organisms such as barnacles impairs the fuel efficiency of ships and obstructs the functions, for example by clogging. Organotin compounds have been used to prevent functional impairment, but their use has been banned due to their toxicity, and the development of alternatives is desired. We are focusing on compounds used by marine organisms such as nudibranchs to protect against fouling by other organisms. As a result of synthesizing the compounds, we found functional groups (anti-fouling units) that are important for anti-fouling. The functional group was introduced into inexpensive biomass derived from marine organisms in a short process, and when the synthetic product was tested for anti-fouling (cypris larvae of striped barnacles), they were found to have both very strong anti-fouling activity and very weak toxicity. We are currently conducting research on the synthesis of similar compounds and the addition of further functions.
Taiki Umezawa Associate Professor -
Research on Biomass Utilization as a Socio-Technical Systems
Aiming to spread bioenergy through local circulation
At the Laboratory of Sustainable Material Cycle Systems research is conducted on the development of technologies and social systems (socio-technical systems) to create locally distributed bioenergy from biomass such as food waste, sewage sludge, livestock manure, forest residues and rice straw.
Research
We are proposing a system (e.g., planning, modeling and evaluation based on experiments and field studies) that can contribute to both the environment and regional development (economy) by linking energy recovered from biomass (e.g., food waste, sewage sludge, livestock manure, forest residues, and rice straw) through combustion and methane fermentation with local energy consumers (e.g., public facilities, nursing and welfare facilities, agricultural facilities such as greenhouses and food factories). Furthermore, by obtaining cooperation from private companies, we are conducting research on creation of community through biomass utilization in collaboration with the endowed laboratory of biomass community planning (Visiting Professor Toru Furuichi, Specially Appointed Assistant Professor Satoru Ochiai, https://smcs.eng.hokudai.ac.jp/bio-com-p.html).
Kazuei Ishii Professor
