Scientists at the Salk Institute are developing genetically engineered soybeans with deeper root systems that grow downward instead of sideways. The goal is to help crops reach water during droughts while pulling more carbon dioxide from the air and storing it deeper in the soil, where it's less likely to be released by tillage. An $18 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund supports field trials in Illinois to measure actual carbon gains and yield stability. The research builds on six years of work identifying 347 genes linked to root growth and carbon storage. Researchers edited soybean DNA to produce plants with roots that penetrate further underground. Early results are promising, but scientists still need to prove how much extra carbon these roots can lock in, how long it stays there, and whether the crops maintain yields under real farming conditions. If successful, this could become a practical, low-cost carbon removal tool for agriculture.
