Changing the DNA of living things to fight climate change

HAZELWOOD, Mo. — With the push of a red button, a milky-colored liquid sprayed onto a load of corn seed at a warehouse in central Missouri. It was a hint of a revolution underway in US agriculture, driven by a desire to combat climate change while still feeding and fueling the world.

Inside that liquid were bacteria whose DNA had been altered so that once the corn seeds are in the ground, the bacteria create extra nutrients for the plants. That could greatly reduce the need for the chemical fertilizers that dominate modern agriculture and are a source of the pollution that is heating the planet.

As the dangers of climate change become more apparent, scientists and entrepreneurs are exploring ways to engineer natural systems to reduce greenhouse gases.

A $200 billion industry dominated by a few global giants like Koch Industries, chemical fertilizer is made by...