Deep-rooted soybeans could boost climate resilience and lock away carbon

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, funded by an $18 million Bezos Earth Fund grant, is evaluating soybeans whose DNA has been edited to produce deeper, steeper root systems. By targeting 347 genes linked to root growth and carbon storage, researchers have created plants that can reach water below the topsoil and potentially trap more carbon underground. Field trials at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and other Midwestern sites will monitor drought resilience, soil carbon levels, and crop yields using cameras and sensors.

The team also aims to increase suberin in roots to slow decomposition and reduce nitrogen runoff. If successful, the technology could be scaled quickly through major seed firms, offering a climate-friendly way to keep existing farmland in use while removing up to a gigaton of CO₂ annually by 2040.