The demand for food, fuel and materials is placing unprecedented pressure on agricultural production. To secure higher productivity, the sector relies upon synthetic fertilisers derived from energy intensive manufacturing methods. Here, we propose an alternative approach to support plant productivity.

The Alternative Roots project developed an endophytic bacterium as a synthetic biology chassis organism. Endophytes are micro-organisms that live within plant tissues without detrimental impact on their host. In developing a benign plant-colonising chassis there is the possibility of developing novel mechanisms for beneficial soil microbiome manipulation without genetically modified crops.

Legal and social considerations of the project, combined with concepts borrowed from the Urban Farming movement, drove the development of NH-1 - a low-cost, small-scale and programmable hydroponic system - and plans for the deployment of smart agricultural developments beneath the streets of Newcastle. Taken as a whole, the Alternative Roots project supports a vision for enhancing crop production at a local and accessible level.