TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Three junior high school students from Kaohsiung will represent Taiwan at the US Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May, following their award-winning research on soil salinization.
According to Business Today, Kuo Yo-yu (郭宥妤), Lai Yu-chin (賴瑜瑾), and Chung Yu-chun (鍾侑均) tackled the persistent problem of soil salinization along Taiwan’s coastal regions, a major challenge to agricultural productivity.
Soil salinization occurs when salts accumulate at the soil surface, impairing plant water and nutrient uptake, damaging soil physical properties, disrupting microbial activity, and increasing disease susceptibility.
Guided by their teachers and mentors, the students researched salt-tolerant bacteria found in mangrove and seagrass ecosystems. Their project won recognition in the botany category at the 2025 Taiwan International Science Fair, earning them the opportunity to compete internationally.
Focusing on soil near mangrove roots, the students isolated several strains of salt-tolerant bacteria, which they named OC1, OC2, and OC3. Among them, OC2 showed exceptional promise, thriving in environments with up to 15% salinity.
Experiments revealed that OC2 could significantly enhance the salt tolerance of non-salt-tolerant crops, promoting stronger root growth, thicker root diameters, and more root hairs. Further testing showed that when plants coexisted with the bacteria, soil salinity decreased by about 12.4%.
Under salt stress, plant roots secreted chemicals that stimulated OC2 to produce more indole-3-acetic acid, a plant hormone that encouraged further root development and improved resilience to harsh conditions.
The students conducted many of their experiments during lunch breaks, weekends, and school holidays.
In preparation for the international competition, the trio has been traveling to Taipei every Saturday morning via the earliest high-speed rail train to train at the Taiwan Science Education Center.
Kuo recalled the challenges they faced, particularly in proving the interaction between the bacteria and the plants. Through persistent testing and careful analysis, the team successfully compiled robust and credible data.
The students emphasized that the greatest value of the experience lies not in winning awards, but in the knowledge and skills they acquired, highlighting scientific experimentation, problem-solving, teamwork, and perseverance as the true rewards of their journey.