Brazilian Scientist Wins World Food Prize for Nitrogen Research

Brazilian microbiologist Mariangela Hungria won the 2025 World Food Prize for research helping crops use nitrogen-fixing bacteria and reduce fertilizer costs.

Brazilian Scientist Wins World Food Prize for Helping Crops Use Nitrogen From the Air

Brazilian microbiologist Mariangela Hungria’s decades of research into beneficial soil bacteria are helping farmers reduce fertilizer costs, improve crop nutrition and support more sustainable agriculture.

A Brazilian scientist whose research has helped transform agricultural production has received one of the world’s leading awards for contributions to food security.

Dr. Mariangela Hungria, a microbiologist and senior researcher at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), was named the 2025 World Food Prize laureate in recognition of more than four decades of work on biological nitrogen fixation and beneficial microorganisms used in agriculture.

Her research has helped farmers grow crops while reducing dependence on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, particularly in Brazil’s large soybean industry. The technologies developed by Hungria and her research teams have been adopted across tens of millions of hectares, demonstrating how microbiology can contribute to agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.

How bacteria help crops obtain nitrogen

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants. It supports growth and is needed to produce proteins and other compounds necessary for healthy development. Although the atmosphere contains abundant nitrogen gas, most plants cannot use atmospheric nitrogen directly.

Certain microorganisms can convert atmospheric nitrogen into forms that plants can use. This process is known as biological nitrogen fixation.

Hungria’s research has focused on beneficial bacteria that live in association with plant roots. In legumes such as soybeans, bacteria from the Rhizobium group can form root nodules and supply plants with biologically fixed nitrogen. In return, the plants provide the bacteria with energy derived from photosynthesis.

Scientists can use these microorganisms in agricultural products called microbial inoculants. These treatments are applied to seeds or soil to encourage beneficial interactions between plants and microbes.

The technology can reduce the amount of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer required in suitable cropping systems. Its effectiveness, however, depends on the crop, bacterial strain, soil conditions, farming practices and local environment.

A major impact on Brazilian soybean farming

Hungria carried out much of her research at Embrapa’s National Soybean Research Center. Her work helped advance the commercial use of biological inoculants in Brazil, where soybean production has become a major agricultural and export industry.

According to Embrapa, the use of soybean inoculation and related technologies helped Brazilian farmers avoid an estimated US$25 billion in nitrogen-fertilizer costs in 2024. The agency also estimated that these practices prevented more than 230 million tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions that year.

These figures are estimates associated with the adoption of the technologies in Brazil; they should not be interpreted as guaranteed savings or environmental benefits for every farm.

The World Food Prize Foundation has reported that Hungria’s research and related technologies have been adopted across more than 40 million hectares in Brazil. Her work has also contributed to the development of biological solutions for crops including common beans, maize, wheat, rice and pasture grasses.

Reducing fertilizer use in corn production

Hungria’s research has extended beyond soybeans.

One technology developed by her research team uses Azospirillum brasilense, a beneficial bacterium associated with plant roots. Embrapa reports that the technology can reduce nitrogen fertilization by 25% in corn cover crops under the relevant production system.

The bacteria can support root development and plant growth, helping improve the efficiency of nutrient use. However, this result should not be generalized to every type of corn production or interpreted as evidence that all synthetic fertilizers can be eliminated.

The broader approach is to use biological products alongside appropriate soil management, crop selection and other agricultural practices.

Why the World Food Prize matters

The World Food Prize recognizes individuals whose achievements contribute to improving the quality, quantity or availability of food around the world. Founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug, the award highlights scientific and practical contributions to global food security.

The foundation announced Hungria as the 2025 laureate on May 13, 2025. She received the award at a ceremony in Iowa on October 23, 2025.

Her recognition highlights the role of long-term agricultural research in addressing interconnected challenges, including food production, fertilizer affordability, soil health and greenhouse-gas emissions.

It also demonstrates how scientific discoveries can move beyond laboratories into practical technologies used by farmers at a large scale.

What her work means for the future of agriculture

Synthetic fertilizers have played a major role in increasing food production worldwide, but their cost, energy-intensive manufacturing and environmental effects have encouraged researchers to explore complementary approaches.

Biological nitrogen fixation offers one such approach. By working with naturally occurring microorganisms, farmers may be able to reduce fertilizer requirements in appropriate cropping systems without sacrificing productivity.

The results from Brazil offer a useful example for other agricultural countries, including India, where fertilizer affordability, soil health and sustainable crop production remain important concerns. However, technologies must be evaluated under local conditions before they are adopted widely.

Hungria’s achievement is a reminder that improvements in agriculture do not always come from larger machines or new chemicals. Sometimes, they begin with microscopic organisms and decades of careful scientific research.

By News National Editorial Team

Sources

• World Food Prize Foundation — Mariangela Hungria: laureate profile.

• Embrapa — Research achievements and fertilizer savings.

• Reuters — Report on the 2025 World Food Prize laureate.