Salk Institute tests deeper-rooted soybeans for carbon storage and drought resilience

Researchers at the Salk Institute are field-testing genetically engineered soybeans with deeper root systems that could store more carbon in the soil while withstanding drought. The project, funded by an $18 million Bezos Earth Fund grant, aims to quantify how much additional carbon these roots can capture and how long it stays underground. Early lab estimates suggest an extra metric ton of CO2 per hectare per year, but field trials across Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa will provide real-world data this fall. The deeper roots are designed to access water below the topsoil during dry periods and deposit carbon deeper, where tilling is less likely to release it. Researchers also hope to boost suberin, a slow-decomposing substance in roots, to lock carbon for longer. However, adoption depends on seed companies and farmers seeing clear benefits, such as drought tolerance or yield increases. A 2025 study modeled potential removal of about a gigaton of CO2 annually by 2040 if these traits spread to major row crops in countries already using genetically modified seeds.