"Nanotechnology for managing plant stress is an emerging field of research that could pay dividends for Australia's cotton growers.
"Climate change and the increasing intensity of extreme weather events, such as drought, are a key challenge for the industry. Drought stress impairs plant growth by affecting physiological and metabolic processes such as photosynthesis, damaging cell membranes and reducing nutrient and water uptake, causing nutrient deficiencies and lower yields.
"Drought stress is responsible for an estimated 67 per cent of yield losses in cotton lint, but research that had its origins in human cancer treatment is now showing promise in cotton plants.
"Research scientist Dr Cong Vu completed his PhD in nanomedicine at the University of New South Wales where he was part of a team that discovered how to use nanoparticles to precisely deliver anti-cancer drugs only to cancerous cells. While working in the lab, Dr Vu had the idea that the technology could also be applied to agricultural crops, such as cotton.
"Earlier this year, Dr Vu was a winner at the ABARES Science and Innovation Awards and received a grant from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) to continue his novel research."
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