Researchers have discovered that bacterial cellulose, a natural polymer traditionally used in human medicine for wound healing, could also play a vital role in plant care. In a groundbreaking study published in Science Advances, botanist Núria Sánchez Coll and her team at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Barcelona, tested bacterial cellulose patches on plants to prevent infection in damaged tissues.
Unexpectedly, the patches not only protected the plants from infection but also significantly sped up the healing process. In lab experiments, small cuts were made on the leaves of two plant species, with patches applied to half of the wounds. After one week, over 80% of the wounds treated with bacterial cellulose had healed, compared to less than 20% of untreated ones. The study further revealed that these patches could also enhance vegetative propagation, promoting the growth of new plants from cuttings.
These promising results suggest that bacterial cellulose could have diverse applications in agriculture, including improving grafting techniques, preserving plant cuttings, and even serving as a growth medium in laboratories, according to Sánchez Coll.
