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Fungus-powered farming delivers higher yields and better-tasting crops, says study

Phys · · 646 words · By Hebrew University
Food Security Biotechnology Sustainable Agriculture

Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a method using an extract from the fungus Pseudozyma aphidis to increase crop yields and improve produce quality. The study suggests this natural alternative could reduce the agricultural reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fungus-powered-farming-higher-yields.html

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

11 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 5
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
schedule Pending 1
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“Using a natural extract from the fungus Pseudozyma aphidis, this method improves the firmness and natural sugar content of crops like tomatoes and melons while significantly boosting production.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web sources (BrightSurf Science News, 'Fungus-Fueled Farming') confirm that an extract from Pseudozyma aphidis improves yield and sensory qualities (sweetness/firmness) of tomatoes and melons.
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web search NEUTRAL — The meaning of EXTRACT is to draw forth (as by research). How to use extract in a sentence. The Crisscrossing Histories of Abstract and ...
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extract
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web search NEUTRAL — EXTRACT definition: to get, pull, or draw out, usually with special effort, skill, or force. See examples of extract used in a sentence.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/extract
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web search NEUTRAL — Archive Extractor is a simple online tool that can extract over 70 types of compressed files, such as 7z, zipx, rar, tar, exe, dmg, and more.
https://extract.me/
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“Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have identified a natural, eco-friendly way to significantly increase agricultural yields while also improving the quality and taste of produce.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is explicitly stated in BrightSurf Science News and supported by the context of Hebrew University's agricultural research mentioned in other results.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; Hebrew: הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, romanized: HaUniversita HaIvrit b'Yerushalayim) is an Israeli public research university based in Jerus…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_University_of_Jerusalem
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hebrew is a Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and remained in regular use as a …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_language
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The list of Hebrew University of Jerusalem alumni includes notable graduates, professors, and administrators affiliated with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Four of Israel's prime ministers gradua…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hebrew_University_of_J…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“The study, led by Professor Maggie Levy alongside researchers Anton Fennec and Neta Rotem, focuses on an extract derived from the yeast-like fungus Pseudozyma aphidis.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific names of the researchers (Professor Maggie Levy, Anton Fennec, Neta Rotem) are mentioned in one specific web result ('Fungus-powered farming...'), but not corroborated by other independent sources.
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web search NEUTRAL — We isolated a unique Pseudozyma aphidis strain demonstrating significant plant-protecting and growth-promoting activity on plants treated with live cultures. Here, we extracted and screened the most a…
https://academic.oup.com/plphys/article/200/4/kiag079/866506…
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web search NEUTRAL — Increasing global population demands higher agricultural yield while avoiding the use of harmful products in agriculture. The use of beneficial micro-organisms is an Eco-friendly approach to reduce th…
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.12.632596.ab…
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web search NEUTRAL — The study, led by Professor Maggie Levy alongside researchers Anton Fennec and Neta Rotem, focuses on an extract derived from the yeast-like fungus Pseudozyma aphidis.
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fungus-powered-farming-higher-…
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“The new research, published in the journal Plant Physiology, suggests that beneficial micro-organisms can offer a sustainable alternative to these traditional agricultural inputs.”
CORROBORATED
BrightSurf Science News explicitly mentions the research was published in 'Plant Physiology' and suggests beneficial micro-organisms as sustainable alternatives. Wikipedia confirms 'Plant Physiology' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Plant perception is the ability of plants to sense and respond to the environment by adjusting their morphology and physiology. Botanical research has revealed that plants are capable of reacting to a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_perception_(physiology)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. A professional in this field is called a Plant physiologist. Plant physiologists study fundament…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_physiology
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Plant Physiology is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research in plant physiology, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, biophysics, and environmental biology of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_Physiology_(journal)
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“Treated tomato seeds displayed an 18% increase in germination rate, while corn and melon seeds increased by approximately 7%.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While web results confirm Pseudozyma aphidis enhances growth and yield for tomatoes and cucumbers, the specific percentages (18% for tomatoes, 7% for corn/melon) are not present in the provided evidence snippets.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ustilagic acid is an organic compound with the formula C36H64O18. The acid is a cellobiose lipid produced by the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis under conditions of nitrogen starvation. The acid was …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ustilagic_acid
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Anthracocystis is a genus of smut fungi in the family Ustilaginaceae. The type species is Anthracocystis destruens. Until it was reinstated in 2012, Anthracocystis was considered a synonym of Sporisor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthracocystis
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Moesziomyces antarcticus is a species of fungus in the order Ustilaginales. The species occurs as a yeast and it was first isolated from Antarctic lake sediment in 1969. As a pathogen, it is a rare ca…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moesziomyces_antarcticus
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“Plants treated with the extract flowered one to two weeks earlier than those in the control group.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence mentions that P. aphidis promotes flowering and growth, but does not specify the 'one to two weeks earlier' timeframe.
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web search NEUTRAL — Plants are multicellular organisms that perform photosynthesis, playing a vital role in Earth's ecosystems and providing oxygen, food, and other resources.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant
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web search NEUTRAL — From Aloe to Zebra Grass—and with over 1,000 plants to explore—find every plant in the alphabet within our comprehensive A to Z index.
https://www.thespruce.com/plants-a-to-z-5116344
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web search NEUTRAL — Welcome to the Plants Northwest, Inc. website! We are proud to be one of Seattle's premier sources of wholesale plants for over 30 years. Our nursery is complete with a large and diverse assortment of…
https://plantsnorthwest.net/
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“The treated tomato plants produced over 60% more ripe fruit by weight compared to the control group.”
CORROBORATED
The 'Fungus-Fueled Farming' source explicitly states that tomato plants produced over 60 percent additional ripe fruit by weight. Another source confirms significant increases in tomato yield.
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web search NEUTRAL — Yield enhancement was particularly remarkable; tomato plants subjected to the extract produced over 60 percent additional ripe fruit by weight, while melon counterparts demonstrated yield increases th…
https://bioengineer.org/fungus-fueled-farming-unlocking-swee…
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web search NEUTRAL — Pseudozyma aphidis significantly increased tomato growth and yield in the greenhouse. Micro-Tom tomatoes spray-treated with P. aphidis demonstrated significant increases in.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358362266_Pseudozym…
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web search NEUTRAL — In this video, I've compiled everything you need to know to grow a ton of tomatoes instead of huge tomato plants with very little fruit!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w-7RoH_uic
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“Melon plants showed a weight increase five times greater than the untreated plants.”
CORROBORATED
The 'Fungus-Fueled Farming' source explicitly states that melon counterparts demonstrated yield increases that were fivefold (five times greater).
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web search NEUTRAL — Pseudozyma aphidis induces salicylic-acid-independent resistance to Clavibacter michiganensis in tomato plants. Plant Dis.
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep39432?error=cookies_not_…
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web search NEUTRAL — By harnessing an extract derived from the yeast-like fungus Pseudozyma aphidis, researchers have developed a technique that not only boosts crop yields significantly but also enhances the sensory qual…
https://bioengineer.org/fungus-fueled-farming-unlocking-swee…
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web search NEUTRAL — Biocontrol agents are provided, which protect plant and plant material from pests and pathogens, and promote the growth of plants.Pseudozyma aphidis As A Biocontrol Agent Against Various Plant Pathoge…
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20140141976A1/en
help
“Tomatoes were found to be firmer and received higher scores in sensory taste tests for sweetness and aroma.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results specifically confirming sensory taste test scores for sweetness and aroma, although general quality improvement is mentioned.
help
“The researchers determined that the fungus promotes growth through several mechanisms, including the production of auxin-like molecules, which are natural plant hormones, and siderophores, which assist plants absorb iron from the environment.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the specific mechanisms of auxin-like molecules or siderophores for this fungus.
schedule
“Anton Fennec et al, Make it grow:Pseudozyma aphidis extract promotes plant growth, Plant Physiology (2026). DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiag079”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.