A glowing strawberry plant on the Oberbaum Bridge. | Artist: Hannelore Braisch
Dear Tiziana, congratulations on winning the BUA ideas competition in the field of innovation and transfer. What motivated you to take part in the ideas competition?
During the pandemic, it became clear to me how little knowledge from research actually reaches the general public. This leads to fears, conspiracy theories, and rejection. Many people are unaware of what research is already capable of today. We scientists tend to rarely leave our own world and present complex relationships as “too complicated to explain.” I am incredibly happy that people like Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim are showing how science communication works and that there is an audience for it.
What exactly is an indicator plant?
Traditionally, indicator plants are plant species that grow particularly well under certain conditions and thus indicate soil properties. One example is the stinging nettle, which grows particularly frequently on nitrogen-rich soils and is therefore considered an indicator of nutrient-rich locations. This principle is applied in viticulture, for example. Here, roses indicate the presence of mildew, as they are much more susceptible than the surrounding grapevines and therefore become diseased earlier and more clearly. Winegrowers are thus warned and can react more quickly.
We want to make this principle usable for the indoor cultivation of fruit, vegetables, and medicinal cannabis. To do this, we use the CRISPR-Cas gene scissors to make the crop more susceptible and to introduce a specific reporter.