Deep-rooted grass stores significantly more carbon, Yale study finds

Deep-rooted grasses store significantly more carbon in their root biomass than shallow-rooted crops without harming existing organic material, according to a study led by Yale soil biologist Eric Slessarev.

The study, published in the journal Earth’s Future, corroborates long-held assumptions regarding the climate benefits of perennial grasses. Researchers found that deep-rooted switchgrass—a prairie grass with roots reaching depths of 5 to 10 feet—stored an additional 0.58 metric tons of carbon per hectare compared to shallow-rooted annual crops.

“If we can find a role for perennial, deep-rooted plants in the larger economy, it will be a benefit to everyone,” said Slessarev, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale and a member of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture. “There is so much going on in the soil, in these deeper layers, that is worthwhile to study and understand.”

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Researchers analyzed more than 700 soil core samples from 12 sites across nine states, including Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. The team used radiocarbon isotopes to determine how the roots influenced the surrounding soil.

Beyond carbon sequestration, the study explores the potential for perennial grasses to serve as a biofuel source that does not deplete soil health as extensively as annual crops like corn.

“Overall, this helps corroborate the idea that switchgrass and other deep-rooted plants can be beneficial to soil health,” Slessarev said. “It’s a night and day difference.”

The research was supported by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation. Slessarev co-authored the study with Erin Nuccio of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

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Deep-rooted grass stores significantly more carbon, Yale study finds