Background:

Root biomass contributes more to soil organic carbon accumulation in soils than aboveground biomass. Consequently, selecting species and varieties with high root biomass, both for major and catch crops, might be an effective climate-change mitigation measure. However, data on root biomass of currently grown crops and cultivars is scarcely available.

Objectives:

The aim of the WurCel project is to identify the potential to increase soil organic carbon content in agricultural soils by selecting species and varieties with high root biomass. This includes a countrywide sampling of the most important economic (wheat, maize, oilseed rape, barley, rye) as well as catch crops in Germany. We will also investigate the likely scenario of elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels as is expected in the future and its effects on crop root development. This will be done in the field with a FACE (Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment) experiment. New approaches will be developed in cooperation with breeders on making high root biomass a selection trait in plant breeding.