In semi-arid regions, water stress during seed germination and early seedling growth is the highest cause of crop loss. In nature, some seeds (for example, chia and basil) produce a mucilage-based hydrogel that creates a germination-promoting microenvironment by retaining water, regulating nutrient entry and facilitating interactions with beneficial microorganisms. Inspired by this strategy, a two-layered biopolymer-based seed coating has been developed to increase germination and water-stress tolerance in semi-arid, sandy soils. Seeds are coated with a silk/trehalose inner layer containing rhizobacteria and a pectin/carboxymethylcellulose outer layer that reswells upon sowing and acts as a water jacket. Using Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) cultured under water-stress conditions in an experimental farm in Ben Guerir, Morocco, the proposed seed coating effectively delivered rhizobacteria to form root nodules, resulted in plants with better health and mitigated water stress in drought-prone marginal lands. A programmable seed coating technology has the potential to increase seed germination and water-stress tolerance in semi-arid, sandy soils.

在半干旱地区，种子发芽和幼苗早期生长期间的水分胁迫是造成作物损失的最主要原因。在自然界中，一些种子（例如奇亚籽和罗勒）会产生粘液基水凝胶，通过保留水分、调节养分进入和促进与有益微生物的相互作用来创造促进发芽的微环境。受此策略的启发，开发了一种基于生物聚合物的双层种子包衣，以提高半干旱沙质土壤的发芽和水分胁迫耐受性。种子包覆有含有根际细菌的丝/海藻糖内层和果胶/羧甲基纤维素外层，该外层在播种时会重新膨胀并充当水套。使用菜豆（普通豆）在摩洛哥 Ben Guerir 的一个实验农场在水分胁迫条件下培养，拟议的种子包衣有效地传递根瘤菌以形成根瘤，使植物更健康并减轻干旱边缘土地的水分胁迫。可编程的种子包衣技术有可能增加半干旱沙质土壤中的种子发芽和水分胁迫耐受性。