Synthetic microbes will kill weeds and increase crop yields

SynComs are created in the laboratory from modified versions of bacteria that live on crops. Scientists make combinations of them to solve specific tasks – as a result, it is possible to form a microbiome with specified properties, which should replace dangerous herbicides.

In practice, Chinese scientists have found that herbicides and SynComs can perfectly complement each other. Experimentally, it was found that the best result was a dosage of 50 per cent and 75 per cent herbicides. It helps reduce yield losses by 22% and creates a sustainable insect defence.