Potential game changer for agriculture

[scsmith42]

A friend of mine sent me this earlier today; I would label it as disruptive technology for agriculture if they can perfect it. 

How much of a tree's growth is due to nitrogen?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzHhDpCJhjU

[DDDfarmer]

any chance you could post the link.  I cant watch videos on the ff.  thanks

[Ianab]

any chance you could post the link.  I cant watch videos on the ff.  thanks

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzHhDpCJhjU

Interesting. What they are trying to do is introduce symbiotic bacteria similar to ones that live in legumous plants into the seeds of normal crops (wheat?). If this works it does away with the need to spread nitrogen fertiliser, the cost, hazards and environmental problems with nitrogen run off.

Possibly bad news for fertiliser suppliers, but that's the only real down side I see?

Not sure how it would relate to trees. Obviously they need nitrogen at some point to grow, but I can't think of any case where it would be supplied artificially? So would treating tree seeds this way give any advantage?

Ian