The world faces an increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and a shortage of carbon in the soil.
In addition, the study shows that bioenergy sorghum’s unusually deep root system can reach sources of water and nutrients untapped by other annual crops.
A key collaborator is Bill Rooney, Ph.D., professor and Borlaug-Monsanto Chair for Plant Breeding and International Crop Improvement, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
Mullet is an expert in bioenergy crops’ genomics, genetics and gene regulatory networks.
In fact, Mullet and Rooney have been working to improve bioenergy sorghum varieties to produce an ideal annual bioenergy crop.
“There is an assumption that the most sustainable bioenergy crops are perennial because they require fewer inputs and can sequester more biomass than annuals,” Rooney said.
The numbers are also important for understanding the crop’s potential to improve soil fertility and water-holding capacity by replenishing soil organic carbon.
This drop in soil carbon levels could be due to cropping practices, microbial activity and changing land use, Rooney said.
The region is ideal for bioenergy sorghum production because of ample rainfall, long growing seasons and low competition with grain crops, Mullet said.