{"id":12085,"date":"2026-07-26T21:59:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T00:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solvefortomorrowlatam.com\/pratica\/jovens-cientistas-transformam-bacterias-em-aliadas-da-agricultura-sustentavel\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T22:15:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T01:15:07","slug":"jovens-cientistas-transformam-bacterias-em-aliadas-da-agricultura-sustentavel","status":"publish","type":"pratica","link":"https:\/\/solvefortomorrowlatam.com\/en\/case\/jovens-cientistas-transformam-bacterias-em-aliadas-da-agricultura-sustentavel\/","title":{"rendered":"Young scientists transform bacteria into an ally of sustainable agriculture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the face of drought, frost and soil degradation affecting small farmers in central Chile, two Chilean students developed “Fixaterra”, a sustainable biofertilizer made from a naturally occurring bacterium that promotes plant growth and increases plants\u2019 resilience to climate stress. What started as school research ended up becoming the country\u2019s winning Solve for Tomorrow project in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two girls were 14 years old and in their second year of high school (the penultimate year of compulsory schooling). The idea was born when they observed the difficulties faced by small farmers in their community due to frost, droughts and soil degradation. In a commune where about 50% of the population lives from family farming, the students wanted to find a way to protect crops from the effects of climate change. “Most farmers rely on controlled release NPK fertilizers. The problem is that these products are coated with synthetic polymers derived from petroleum, which contaminate the soil and degrade aquatic ecosystems,’ explains the mediator teacher<\/a> Macarena \u00c1lvarez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To solve this problem, they initially thought of developing genetically more resistant plants, but the teacher warned that it was necessary to turn that proposal into a viable solution for a school laboratory. “When it comes to thinking about ideas, it\u2019s encouraging to see students dreaming of launching a satellite into space, but as teachers we have to guide them and turn that idea into something feasible,” says \u00c1lvarez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, they began research on species able to withstand extreme conditions until they found in the scientific literature the potential of Rhizobium<\/em>, a bacterium that lives naturally in the soil and establishes a mutually beneficial relationship with leguminous plants. When a seed germinates, its roots release substances that attract these bacteria. Once they reach the root, they form an biological association in which the plant provides them with shelter and food, while the bacteria capture the nitrogen present in the air and transform it into a nutrient that the plant can absorb to grow, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially, the students worked directly with roots containing the bacteria, performing small laboratory tests to observe their behavior. Then, trials began with different plant species, especially coriander, which became the main crop because it germinated quickly, was widely used by local farmers and allowed easy measurement of variables such as leaf numbers, root length and growth rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Eureka Moment! <\/h5>\n

For the first tests, the bacteria were applied in liquid form and the results were disappointing. The motivation began to wane and an inevitable question arose: what if the project didn\u2019t work? “We had a crisis. We felt the project was going down because we weren\u2019t getting the results we expected. If it didn\u2019t work in the greenhouse, it wouldn\u2019t work with farmers,\u201d recalls teacher \u00c1lvarez. While touring the lyceum, the students walked into the Gastronomy lab\u00a0 and observed how other students prepared a “fake caviar” using sodium alginate, a technique of spherification widely used in molecular cooking. Suddenly they\u00a0 thought, ‘What if we make capsules and put the bacteria there?’ It was an idea that came up almost by chance, but made all the difference.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

With the support of another teacher from the establishment specializing in chemistry, they managed to make the first capsules, manually. The result exceeded expectations: bacteria could be kept alive within small biodegradable spheres, using a source of sugar as a nutrient, until they were incorporated into the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus was born the definitive format of \u201cFixaterra\u201d, a line of biodegradable fertilizers designed to strengthen plant growth, increase their resistance against extreme weather conditions and contribute to soil regeneration, without leaving plastic waste or chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The product consists of two types of complementary microcapsules. The first type, of soft texture, contains  sucrose and the bacteria Rhizobium<\/em>, a microorganism naturally present in the roots of legumes that has the ability to fix nitrogen from the air and transform it into essential nutrients for plants. The latter provide minerals such as phosphorus and potassium, fundamental for plant development. Both microcapsules are made using an alginate matrix, a biodegradable material that allows for slow and controlled release of its components into the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the tests carried out by the students, the seeds treated with \u201cFixaterra\u201d germinated earlier and developed larger and more vigorous cotyledons, indicating better nutrient absorption. In addition to its environmental benefits, the creators highlight that it is a low-cost solution with potential to scale production and benefit more farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Estudiantes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Learn by researching, mislearning, and improving<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The transition between laboratory and field was one of the most delicate moments in the project, because they moved from a controlled laboratory environment to real cultivation conditions. “We couldn\u2019t deliver a product to the farmers without evidence. They said to us: “You can make mistakes in the laboratory, we cannot make mistakes with our crops,” recalls the educator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, field trials were conducted gradually, through small-scale trials involving five farmers in the community. Beyond validating the functioning of the biofertilizer in real conditions, this stage allowed students to understand the importance of listening to users, collecting feedback and continuously improving the solution before thinking about a larger-scale application. Prior to the national finals of Solve for Tomorrow, the team had tested around 50 plants, as well as pilot experiments with five local farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire development of \u201cFixaterra\u201d lasted for about a year. Far from seeking an immediate solution, the students were perfecting the project continuously, performing new tests and adjustments at roughly three-month intervals  as proposed by the Project Based Learning<\/a> methodology. Each result opened new questions and each difficulty gave rise to an improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When students learn to research, they are then able to learn anything, the teacher points out.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudents begin searching for scientific articles, reading research papers, questioning sources, and making evidence-based decisions,” she adds. Although the project had a strong scientific foundation, it still lacked one important step: to transform it into a solution that could be understood by anyone. “The mentorship from Solve for Tomorrow helped a lot. We always saw it as research. They helped us turn it into a product,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From these conversations new questions arose: How to present the solution? How to explain its operation without using too much technicality? How to make a farmer want to test it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The students then began to develop a complete visual identity for “Fixaterra”: they designed the name, label, packaging, labeling, promotional materials and even small biodegradable envelopes with coriander seeds to be delivered during the final presentation. We cared for every detail so that it looked like a product ready to go to market. We did everything ourselves,” the teacher emphasizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n