An Underground Revolution (Nature)
Plant breeders are turning their attention to roots to increase yields without causing environmental damage. Virginia Gewin unearths some promising subterranean strategies.
View the full article for how Trevor Garnett, a plant biologist at the University of Adelaide in Australia, is working with Arcadia Biosciences to commercialize a method that tricks roots into taking up nitrogen from the soil more efficiently.
Read the full article here
Reducing Nitrogen
Usage
Arcadia Biosciences has conducted field trials in five growing seasons. In each field trial, Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) canola demonstrated that it can achieve high yields using significantly less nitrogen fertilizer than conventional varieties. In the chart above, note that NUE canola yielded 2800 lb/ac using two-thirds less nitrogen fertilizer than the conventional variety needed to generate the same yield.