Microalgae-based crop support technologies show multifaceted promise well-suited to looming threats

Siedenburg, Jules R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0571-1250, Attard, Everaldo, Mamo, Julian A. and Verschoor, Arjan (2024) Microalgae-based crop support technologies show multifaceted promise well-suited to looming threats. Environments, 11 (10). ISSN 2076-3298

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Abstract

This review summarises the available evidence on the prospects for using microalgae or their extracts to support crop production. The evidence is limited but suggests technological promise in several distinct ways, namely, higher core productivity, enhanced resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses, and better-quality produce. The different efficacy pathways of these microalgal technologies were examined to assess their scope to help address key farmer priorities. Their scope to help farmers face climate change and land degradation was a particular focus, given the magnitude of these threats. These microalgal technologies are framed in terms of their pertinence to farmer priorities due to the centrality of farmers to food systems. Notably, farmers’ technology adoption decisions are key to food system outcomes. The findings reported suggest that these crop support technologies could potentially deliver major benefits to farmers, consumers, and the environment. For the moment, however, this emerging literature remains largely neglected. Possible reasons for this are considered, as are potential ways forward. The review focuses particularly on the two most researched and widely available microalgae, the genera Arthrospira and Chlorella, in the interest of highlighting options farmers could adopt rapidly while research on the wider body of microalgae-based crop technologies continues.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Funding information: This research was funded by the Maltese government’s Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation under the project “Agri-food applications of microalgae: Learning from experience about their capacity to foster agricultural sustainability and food security despite climate change”, grant number UM REF:2023_048_UM_MSUN. Data Availability Statement: The data analysed were derived from resources available in the public domain, namely, the source documents cited. No new data were created for this study. Data sharing is therefore not applicable.
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Global Development (formerly School of International Development)
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Behavioural and Experimental Development Economics Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Impact Evaluation Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Gender and Development University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Social Sciences
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	02 Oct 2024 10:30
Last Modified:	14 Oct 2024 00:01
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/96860
DOI:	10.3390/environments11100220

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