Team:UCSC/Design


iGEM UCSC 2020

Bed mulches are essential to the agriculture industry due to their ability to:

Trap fumigant emissions


Prevent weed growth


Provide UV resistance


Maximize crop yields

Most bed mulches in use are polyethylene, and the majority of these bed mulches end up in landfills, which harms the environment and creates harmful chemicals such as VOCs (volatile organic compounds).



The agricultural industry contributes 816 million pounds of plastic waste each year, so there is a pressing need for a better mulch alternative.

California produces 80% of the United States’ strawberries and Caneberries.



Strawberries require bed mulches in order to grow successfully. Since our team is based in Santa Cruz, California, and there are multiple strawberry fields around our campus, we felt a personal connection to figure out a sustainable alternative to replace plastic bed mulches.



So what about current biodegradable plastic mulches?

Biodegradable bed mulches are also offered on the market, but leave behind microplastics that pollute soil, something growers are dissatisfied with.



Our Approach

We designed a method to create a biodegradable bed mulch from bacterial cellulose. This biodegradable plastic could be tilled into the soil at the end of a growing season without causing harm to the field or the environment!

The Steps:



Learn more about how we plan to reduce plastic waste in the agriculutral industry!


Human Practices

We conducted in-depth conversations with professionals from both the academic and agricultural community in Alberta

Project

We created tools and mechanisms to help canola farmers, graders and crushers

Modelling

Computer modelling informed experimental design through every step

Software

We developed tools to codon-optimize hard-to-synthesize sequences and a genetic algorithm based on GROMACS to increase protein stability.

Journal

We meticulously documented methods and protocols used throughout the project

Public Engagement

We engaged with the local community. Spreading our knowledge and eliciting public feedback.