Experimental crop absorbed carbon dioxide equivalent to a vehicle burning 35,000 litres of gasoline, unlike more common annual versions, study shows.
Annual crops are the farmer’s bread and butter, the crops they rely on most, but at least one type of perennial grain is proving much more beneficial to the environment.
A crop of perennial rye absorbed a substantial amount of carbon dioxide, or CO2, a University of Alberta study showed, while an annual crop had no uptake of the greenhouse gas.
The discovery builds on previous research by the team that found environmental and other advantages for including perennial crops in farmers’ planting lineup.
“While there’s still much more research to be done, they’re emerging as one more option that farmers could use in their tool kit to contribute to sustainable agriculture,” said study co-author Guillermo Hernandez Ramirez, a soil scientist in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences.
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