Bacteria-made Band-Aid for plants? What a new study found

Subsequently, small cuts were made on the leaves of two lab plants. Patches were applied to only half the wounds. Sánchez Coll and her colleagues found that more than 80% of the treated wounds had healed after a week, compared to less than 20% of the untreated ones. The team also found the patches enhance vegetative propagation, a process used to grow a genetically identical new plant using cuttings.

Bacterial cellulose is a natural polymer produced by certain bacteria. It has thus far been widely used in human medicine, often for wound healing. The latest findings suggest potential applications in agriculture, such as facilitating grafting, preserving cut plant material, or serving as a growth medium in laboratories, Sánchez Coll told Science News.