People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers 853: Getting to the Root of How Microbes Help Plants Thrive Under Stress - Dr. Donald Smith
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Feb 23, 2026 Dr. Donald L. Smith, a plant scientist at McGill and leader in biofuels research, studies how root microbes signal plants to grow and withstand drought or cold. He discusses microbial signals like LCOs and genistein that boost nodulation and seedling growth, surprising discoveries from field work, and his big plan to map plant–microbe signaling across species.
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Root Microbe Signals Are Broadly Conserved
- Plant–microbe signaling is ancient and widespread, not just for legumes: microbes in roots send signals that alter plant growth and stress responses.
- Donald L. Smith found LCO signals speed plant establishment and work across many plant species, suggesting an evolutionarily older role than specific nodulation signaling.
Priming Rhizobia With Genistein Boosted Soybean Fixation
- A simple lab trick improved field soybean nitrogen fixation by priming rhizobia with plant isoflavone genistein overnight.
- Donald L. Smith added genistein to bacterial cultures at 20–21°C, used them as inoculum next morning, and saw up to 80% seasonal nitrogen fixation increases.
From Lab Discovery To Billion Dollar Commercial Technology
- Smith patented the genistein-primed inoculum and commercialized LCO technology, which passed through several companies and generated substantial royalties.
- The technology moved from a startup to larger firms (EMD, Novozymes, Bayer) and reportedly earned about a billion dollars for Bayer.
