Dr. Mariangela Hungria, a Brazilian microbiologist, won the 2025 World Food Prize for advancing biological nitrogen fixation. Her research on soil bacteria like rhizobia and Azospirillum brasilense boosts crop yields, reduces chemical fertilizer use, and supports sustainable farming. The World Food Prize honors innovations enhancing global food security.
Copyright infringement not intended
Picture Courtesy: THE HINDU
Brazilian scientist "Mariangela Hungria" wins the 2025 World Food Prize Laureate.
Dr. Mariangela Hungria, a microbiologist from Brazil, dedicated four decades to study soil bacteria at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa).
She serves as a professor at the State University of Londrina and the Federal University of Technology in Paraná.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Johanna Döbereiner, who helped make Brazil a soybean leader, Hungria advocates biological nitrogen fixation when most scientists prioritize chemical fertilizers.
Biological nitrogen fixation is a natural process where soil bacteria, like rhizobia and Azospirillum brasilense, associate with plant roots to convert nitrogen from the air into a form plants can use.
Hungria isolates elite strains of these bacteria and develops microbial inoculants—treatments applied to seeds or soil. For soybeans, she shows that annual inoculation with rhizobia boosts yields by up to 8% compared to chemical fertilizers.
She also used Azospirillum brasilense, which enhances nitrogen uptake and produces plant hormones, tripling root growth and improving water and nutrient absorption.
Combining both bacteria doubles yields for soybeans and common beans. These innovations reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution.
The World Food Prize honours breakthroughs in food production and security.
Norman Borlaug, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work to increase crop yields and reduce the threat of starvation in many countries, founded the World Food Prize, in 1987.
The prize was first awarded to M. S. Swaminathan (India). Since then, it has been awarded to 55 individuals.
It is administered by the World Food Prize Foundation with support from numerous sponsors.
Laureates are presented with a diploma, a commemorative sculpture designed by Saul Bass and a monetary award of $500,000.
Must Read Articles:
Energy Dependent Food Security
Food Security Act and the Public Distribution System
State of Food Security & Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report
Source:
|
PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Examine the impact of globalization and liberalization on India’s food security framework. Has it strengthened or weakened domestic agricultural systems? 150 words |
© 2025 iasgyan. All right reserved
