Plants have tremendous potential to remove carbon from the atmosphere to help respond to our warming planet.
Harnessing the Power of Plant Root Systems
Every year, plants capture hundreds of billions of tons of CO2 through photosynthesis and then funnel large amounts of carbon into the soil. This project leverages work in genetics, genomics and biochemistry to enhance this carbon-storing ability of plant roots so that they can capture excess atmospheric carbon.
By focusing on prevalent crop plants — which can be readily scaled up within the existing agriculture infrastructure — this project aims to mitigate the effects of climate change, develop more resilient plants and improve soil health.