An $18 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund is backing research into genetically modified soybeans, promising a technological fix for climate change and drought. Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies are developing deeper-rooted soybean plants, aiming to store more carbon underground and help crops withstand environmental stressors. Research scientist Ashish Rajurkar recently examined a soybean plant in Urbana, Ill., noting its roots grew straight down, unlike typical varieties.
Wolfgang Busch, director of the institute’s Harnessing Plants Initiative, acknowledged the concerning trajectory of global food production. "It will become harder to grow enough food for enough people," Busch stated, framing the project as a way for deeper root systems to help crops endure climate change while drawing carbon from the atmosphere. This approach channels private capital into a solution that maintains the existing agricultural system, rather than challenging its inherent contradictions.
Capital's Green Fix
For six years, Salk Institute scientists have compiled an "encyclopedia" of plant genomes, studying hundreds of versions of common row crops like soybeans and sorghum. Research professor Todd Michael explained they identified 347 genes linked to carbon storage and root growth. This genetic mapping allowed scientists to edit plant DNA, creating varieties with roots that penetrate deeper into the soil. "We wanted to leverage the natural variation of a given plant," Michael said, emphasizing the manipulation of existing genetics.
The researchers hypothesize these modified roots will access deeper water during droughts, simultaneously storing carbon further underground where it's less vulnerable to release during tilling. They also aim to boost carbon storage by cultivating larger root systems and increasing suberin, a cork-like substance in roots that decomposes slowly. Longer, bigger roots could also absorb more nitrogen and other fertilizer runoff, mitigating environmental damage caused by industrial agriculture's waste products. This technological intervention seeks to manage the symptoms of a system that externalizes its environmental costs.
Field sites in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa are testing these deep-rooted soybean plants. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Salk grows plants under a canopy that controls rainfall, assessing drought performance. Underground cameras and sensing equipment track soil carbon and root growth in real time. Initial field results are expected this fall, providing data on carbon storage and crop yield.
The System's Grip on Adoption
Busch admitted uncertainty about the plants' performance outside the lab. "We don't really know what the real trade-off is," he said, stressing the need for field testing. He also noted the historical speed of adoption for new seed technology, particularly when it benefits large corporations. "Historically it’s clear, if you have a technology that is interesting to a big seed company, it will go out there very, very fast," Busch observed, highlighting the market's role in disseminating innovation.
Andrew Bovarnik, head of global food systems for the United Nations Development Programme, offered a more cautious perspective on the pace of adoption. He explained that farmers' decisions are not solely based on field performance but are heavily influenced by seed companies, commodity buyers, government subsidies, trade rules, and access to financing. "We are stuck in a system that is pretty entrenched," Bovarnik stated, underscoring the structural barriers to change. Farmers are reluctant to risk unfamiliar crops without proof they won't introduce new problems like disease or heat susceptibility.
Busch described climate change as "a race against time," advocating for rapid funding for ambitious solutions. A 2025 study co-authored by Busch modeled that about a gigaton of carbon dioxide per year could be removed by 2040 if deeper-rooted soybean, corn, cotton, and canola crops were adopted in countries already growing genetically modified crops. This projection relies on existing agricultural infrastructure and land, reinforcing the current industrial farming model. Bovarnik, however, urged a "bigger strategic, systemic lens to food," cautioning against focusing solely on "end-of-pipe innovation" that fails to address root causes.
What Capital Did Next
Salk researchers estimate one hectare of these modified soybean plants could store an additional metric ton of carbon dioxide annually, based on earlier lab results. The duration of carbon storage depends on root depth and soil environment. This private-funded, high-tech solution offers a way for capital to appear to address climate change without disrupting the profit-driven mechanisms that exacerbate it. It positions large seed companies to potentially profit from new intellectual property, further consolidating their control over global food systems, while leaving the underlying issues of land use, soil management, and corporate agricultural priorities unaddressed.