b'Planning Manager at CCI, says,genomes to gain the infor-Stabilizing our global climatemation needed to open the will only be possible if wedoor for understanding and identify and broadly imple- modifying the genetic basis of ment practices that reduceplant adaptation. This infor-the excessive load of carbonmation is helping research-dioxide that has accumulateders develop plants that can in our atmospherewhilesurvive in harsh environments simultaneously reducing newand grow more food, fiber and carbon emission.fuel for a burgeoning popula-CCI, a 501c.3 organization,tion, as well as to potentially supports science-based solu- mitigate the negative effects tions that reduce atmosphericof climate change. carbon while promoting environmental stewardship,New Plants for Carbon social equity and economicFarmingsustainability. At the Salk Institute for Soil naturally stores someBiological Studies, La Jolla, carbon, much of it fromCali., researchers associated decaying plants and animalwith the Harnessing Plants matter. The National AcademyInitiative (HPI) are investi-of Sciences (NAS) estimatedgating how plants genetic in a 2015 study that globalarchitecture controls spe-farmland could capture andcific traits, such as deeper store as much as 3 billion tonsrooting. These traits take a of additional carbon dioxidegenome-informed breeding if farmers adopted improvedapproach to enable plants to practices. Using their exist- store more carbon and adapt ing equipment, farmersto climate change. The HPI could increase the amount ofteam includes six labs at the organic matter being addedSalk Institute with expertise to soil with manure or com- in plant genetics, epigenetics, post and shift cultivation todevelopment, biochemistry favor crops that contributeand genomics. These teams more of their carbon to theare working together to soil. Planting cover crops isdevelop plants that will store another low-cost method ofmore carbon in the soil. increasing organic input intoTodd Michael, a researchUnderlying these biochemicalthe frontier of plants, provides soil. The NAS study concludesprofessor in La Jolla, Cali.,abilities are the most diversesome of the longest-lived mol-that most climate mitiga- provides genome sequenc- genomes on the planet.ecules in the soils. In plants, tion efforts are intended toing support to create SalkPlants have highly complexsuberins form gas and water-decrease the rate at whichIdeal Plants to store increasedgenomes. Using sequencingtight barriers that prevent people add carbon from fossilamounts of atmospherictechnology and computa- water and cellular products fuel reservoirs to the atmos- carbon deep in the ground.tional biology, Michaels teamfrom leaching from roots into phere. The study focused onPlants perform a myriadis working to uncover howthe soil. the reverse technologies thatof extraordinary biochemicalgenomic differences enableAssociate professor Julie take carbon out of the air andfunctions, including captur- plants to respond better toLaw, Michaels colleague, sees put it back into ecosystemsing carbon dioxide throughand exploit their environment.a broad horizon of success. and the land. photosynthesis as well asA key aspect of MichaelsShe is optimistic about where Science-based solutionsextracting and concentrat- research is increasing plantstheir project is heading. rely on applying biotech- ing essential elements, suchsuberin production. Suberin,We hope in the next five nology sequence complexas nitrogen, Michael says.dubbed the biopolyester ofyears to be generating proto-INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2021SEEDWORLD.COM /59'