University of Nebraska-Lincoln lead $6M NSF projects to develop ag-based bioplastics

In Nebraska, University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers are part of a new $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop bioplastics for use in agriculture over the next four years.

The project includes a consortium of 15 researchers from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Kansas State University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. 

BioWRAP draws from an array of scientific disciplines that fall into three major buckets – engineering biopolymers, strengthening agroecosystems, and assessing broader impacts. The general concept of bioplastics is to develop biodegradable plastics through renewable, biological substances rather than from finite petroleum-derived sources.

The team will investigate three types of biopolymers: Polyhydroxyalkanoate-based, protein-based and hybrid polymers. Ultimately, they will apply these bioplastics to field sites to assess their degradation and ability to enhance nitrogen fixing bacteria, soil moisture, weed suppression, irrigation efficiency, manage temperature, and improve the quality of agricultural products.