Salk Tests Deep-Root Soybeans for Carbon Storage

Salk Institute researchers have genetically engineered soybeans with deeper, denser roots that grow downward rather than spreading outward, aiming to help crops access water during drought and store more atmospheric carbon in soil. The team identified 347 genes associated with root growth and carbon storage and used gene editing to develop the modified plants. An $18 million Bezos Earth Fund grant is supporting field trials in Illinois and elsewhere to measure carbon sequestration, root growth, crop yields and resilience to climate stress. Scientists say the approach could become an agricultural tool for climate mitigation and food security, but they still must determine how much carbon is stored under real farming conditions, how long it remains underground and whether the crops can be scaled without sacrificing commercially viable yields.