Plant/Nitrogen Scientist on Fertilizer Crisis: Dr. Giles Oldroyd

Newswise — The war in Iran has cut off global nitrogen fertilizer supplies, causing alarming shortages just in time for farmers’ planting season in the U.S. 

Danforth Plant Science Center President Dr. Giles Oldroyd can speak to the broader implications for food security and the emerging technologies that could help address this vulnerability. He is a leading researcher in plant-microbe interactions and nitrogen fixation, studying how crops can partner with beneficial microbes to produce their own nitrogen fertilizer—a breakthrough that could dramatically reduce dependence on global fertilizer supply chains. 

Dr. Olroyd can speak to:

• Why fertilizer supply disruptions pose risks not just for farmers but for national and global food security

• How reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer creates geopolitical and economic vulnerabilities

• The emerging science behind “self-fertilizing” crops that work with nitrogen-fixing microbes

• Why biological approaches to crop nutrition may be a key part of the future of resilient agriculture

Sample quote from Dr. Oldroyd:

“Modern agriculture depends heavily on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, but the supply chains behind it are fragile. When those supplies are disrupted, the ripple effects can move quickly from farms to food prices to global stability. Advances in plant science are opening the door to crops that partner with microbes to make their own fertilizer — a shift that could make agriculture far more resilient.”

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is the largest independent nonprofit plant science institute in the world and focuses on improving the sustainability and resilience of global agriculture. Its location in St. Louis, Missouri, puts the Danforth Center at the heart of American farming—50% of U.S agriculture is produced within 5 miles of the Center.

Giles is an experienced speaker; he has delivered a Ted Talk and appeared most recently on St. Louis Magazine’s 314 Podcast. Please let me know if I can assist in coordinating an interview: Kristina DeYong | Public Information Officer | kdeyong@danforthcenter.org