Carbon sequestration efficiency of sugarcane across developmental stages

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Empirical evidence on varietal differences in sugarcane carbon sequestration potential informs breeding and climate-smart agriculture research.

🏢実務担当者:Sugarcane growers and agricultural carbon credit projects can use these findings to select high-carbon varieties for enhanced sequestration.

🏛政策担当者:Policymakers can consider supporting high-biomass sugarcane varieties as part of national carbon removal strategies.

Global warming, driven by greenhouse gas emissions, requires innovative climate change mitigation strategies. Sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum L.), a highly efficient C4 plant with substantial biomass yield and carbon fixation abilities, offers a promising solution. This study investigates the distribution patterns and accumulation dynamics of biomass and carbon storage in sugarcane to inform breeding programs focused on developing high-biomass, carbon-sequestering varieties. Thirteen local sugarcane varieties were systematically analyzed for biomass and carbon storage across different plant tissues and growth stages, with the objective of contributing to net-zero carbon targets. The study revealed consistent trends in biomass (B) accumulation and carbon (C) storage across different sugarcane varieties. Notably, varieties such as ZT1 (B: 90.94; C: 45.32), ZT2 (B: 89.83; C: 43.74), ZT3 (B: 81.88; C: 40.65), GNY146210 (B: 89.83; C: 43.74), and YZ08-1609 (B: 90.94; C: 45.32) demonstrated superior performance in both parameters across all growth stages. In contrast, varieties such as GT44 (B: 75.16; C: 34.61) and ZT6 (B: 63.32; C: 32.20) exhibited comparatively lower levels of biomass and carbon storage. These findings highlight significant varietal differences in carbon sequestration potential, with certain genotypes offering promising advantages for ecological engineering and climate-smart agriculture. Further analysis elucidated distinct distribution patterns across sugarcane parts, with the stem predominating in biomass and carbon storage, thereby emphasizing its pivotal role in overall carbon sequestration among the varieties. Moreover, the study uncovered consistent accumulation patterns across growth stages, identifying the elongation stage as pivotal for maximal biomass and carbon sequestration. Particularly, high annual net carbon fixation capacity during leaf growth was observed across all varieties, with certain cultivars such as ZT1, ZT2, ZT3, ZT4 and GNY146210, and exhibiting notably superior performance. Annual assessments showed substantial variability in biomass, carbon storage, and photosynthetic net carbon fixation, with certain cultivars excelling. Strong positive correlations between biomass, carbon storage, and net carbon fixation were observed, emphasizing the intrinsic link between sugarcane biomass and its carbon fixation capacity (R = 0.99). These findings highlight the exceptional capacity of sugarcane, as a C4 plant, to excel in carbon absorption. In brief, these findings offer essential guidance for advancing breeding programs focused on developing high-performance sugarcane cultivars. Enhancing biomass production and carbon sequestration capabilities through these initiatives will markedly strengthen strategies for mitigating climate change.

• openalex https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2026.1775208first seen 2026-07-02 05:46:54