It’s hard for farmers to know exactly when plants need more or less nutrients, but thanks to a team of life sciences students, there is now an award-winning solution. The BYU microbiology and molecular biology team competed at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition in Paris, France where they won a silver medal for their revolutionary work.
The students designed a genetic system that can modify a common weed, Arabidopsis thaliana, to change the color of its leaves—turning from green to red—when it detects elevated nitrate levels in the soil. This allows the plant to act as a stoplight to signal when to discontinue fertilization. This innovation could help farmers prevent over-fertilization, increase yield, conserve resources, and minimize environmental impacts.
The team’s success came after extensive collaboration and research. Over the course of the project, they used the UN Sustainable Development Goals as guides and connected with farmers from the Philippines, Bolivia, Peru, Uganda, and Nigeria to ensure their work was relevant and actionable.
“We decided to work very closely with farmers throughout the project to try and understand their perspective and to make sure that what we were building would actually work for them,” said Chad Hyer (MMBIO ’25), one of the students from the team.
The iGEM conference was the perfect opportunity to present their cutting-edge work on an international stage. As they presented, Hyer explained that their focus on human practices research made them stand out at the conference.
The team’s work serves as a reminder of the role science can play in addressing global challenges and highlights the collaborative spirit and innovation of BYU students.