BOOSTER Resilience Farm: The Drought Challenge

Help a farmer protect maize under drought by testing BOOSTER-inspired science: seaweed biostimulants, beneficial microbes, genetics and marker-assisted breeding.

Free · plays in your browser
20–30 min per season

About 27 MB · best on a laptop, desktop or tablet

Turn your device sideways to play

BOOSTER Farm v1.0.0 Tip: full screen gives the best view of the lab

Why drought matters

The game opens with the science behind the problem.

Cracked, dry farmland under a hot sky — **• CLIMATE CHANGE AND DROUGHT**Climate change is making droughts and heatwaves more frequent. Crops struggle, and our food supply is at risk.

A wilting maize plant in a dry field — **• MAIZE UNDER DROUGHT**In a drought, maize leaves curl and close their pores to save water, so growth slows and the harvest shrinks.

Compacted soil next to healthy living soil with deep roots — **• LIFE AROUND THE ROOTS**The problem is also underground: weak roots without helpful microbes can't reach the water deeper in the soil.

The farmer with an empty water barrel and a notepad — **• YOUR CHALLENGE**Protect the maize harvest, save water and use science to make smart, sustainable decisions.

Meet the team

Three characters guide you through one drought season.

The Farmer

Plant, water and care for your maize plots while drought hits leaf health, photosynthesis and yield.

Dr. Vera

Research new strategies in the lab, then take them to the field and see what really works.

Farm Advisor

Balance yield, cost, water use and sustainability — there is no single magic fix.

Inside the lab

Fund research with money to earn Science Points (SP). Spend SP to unlock new seeds and treatments, then buy them in the Barn. Planting gives no SP.

How it works

1. Get SPLab · Finance Research
Pay money for a research project and wait for the results.
$15 → +25 SP · $35 → +70 SP · $75 → +160 SP
2. Spend SPLab · Biostimulants and Genetics
Unlock seed priming, foliar spray, microbes and new varieties.
Each unlock costs SP
3. Buy in the BarnFarm · Barn Supplies
Buy what you researched with money, then use it on your plots.
Harvest ripe crops to earn money

Seeds

Conventional Maize SeedsReady from the start
Sow standard maize seeds. They can produce good yields but may struggle under severe drought.
Free in the Barn
Seaweed Seed PrimingUnlock: Seed Priming · 20 SP
Treat seeds with seaweed extracts before sowing. Helps seedlings establish and cope with early drought stress.
$12 per seed in the Barn
Drought-Resilient Maize SeedsUnlock: Develop Resilient Varieties
Sow improved maize seeds developed through breeding. Helps crops tolerate drought and maintain yields under water stress.
$20 per seed in the Barn

Treatments

Seaweed Foliar SprayUnlock: Foliar Spray · 25 SP
Spray seaweed extracts on leaves during growth. Helps plants cope with drought stress and maintain leaf function. Works best on growing plants, before a drought.
$10 per dose · drag it onto a plant
Microbial Root BiostimulantUnlock: Microbial Coating · 30 SP
Add beneficial microbes to a plant right after sowing. Helps roots develop and absorb water and nutrients.
$15 per dose · drag it onto a plant

Genetics & Breeding

1. Discover Drought Genes40 SP · E. nindensis, Teff, Maize
Compare plant species to identify genes and regulatory DNA regions linked to drought and desiccation tolerance.
Unlocks: Drought-related genetic markers
2. Marker-Assisted Selection60 SP
Use molecular markers to screen maize plants and select the best individuals carrying favourable traits.
Unlocks: Improved maize lines with drought tolerance
3. Develop Resilient Varieties100 SP
Breed and test selected plants over successive generations to develop high-yield, drought-resilient maize varieties.
Unlocks: Drought-resilient seeds for your farm

Built for the classroom

Who: High school and undergraduate students
Time: 20–30 minutes for one complete playthrough
Replay: Replay the drought season with different strategies