South African researchers are studying bacteria that can help maize and other non-legumes bind nitrogen from the air, potentially eliminating the need for costly nitrogen fertilizers. Dr. Johanna Döbereiner in Brazil discovered spiral bacteria in grass roots that provide essential nitrogen to plants, leading to potential breakthroughs in agriculture. The Plant Protection Research Institute in South Africa is also researching nitrogen-binding bacteria, with Dr. JL Staphorst heading the project to improve crop production through microbiological means. This research has already resulted in bacterial inoculants being commercially available, benefiting crops like peanuts, rooibos tea, wheat, proteas, lucerne, clover, and maize. [Extracted from the article]