THE SEED PROJECT, TO BE CONDUCTED AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, A HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION, AIMS TO DEVELOP A LIGNIN-BASED, PH-RESPONSIVE MATERIAL THAT COULD BE USED IN A SEED COATING/ENCAPSULATION SYSTEM WITH ADVANCED BENEFITS TO PLANT GROWTH. SOILS ARE TREATED TO EXHIBIT A SLIGHTLY ACIDIC PH, BENEFICIAL TO MANY CROPS BOTH AT PLANTING AND AS THE PLANT DEVELOPS. THE PROJECT WILL EXPLORE A NOVEL WAY TO ENGINEER LIGNIN INTO A PH-RESPONSIVE MATERIAL, EMBEDDING BONDS THAT BREAK APART UPON EXPOSURE TO ACIDIC PH. THE MATERIAL WILL BE AMENABLE TO SEED COATING APPLICATIONS, CONTRIBUTING TO LIGNIN VALORIZATION. REPLACEMENT OF PLASTIC-BASED POLYMERIC SEED COATINGS WITH A BIODEGRADABLE MATERIAL WILL MITIGATE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS POSED BY MICROPLASTICS.