How quickly potatos sprout closely depends on covering ratio of water and air of the plant’s surface. WU Zhengyan’s team has developed a method to enhance sprouting by NPA, an amphiphilic nanocomposite made from silica in an anattapulgite network. Apart from faster sprouting, this application increased yields by 14 %, decreased soil bulk density, and facilitated earthworms growth. Water toxicity on fish and nematodes was low.

CAS news release, September 3, 2018