@article{fdi:010091005,
  title = {{B}iomass allocation and carbon storage in the major cereal crops : a meta-analysis},
  author = {{N}gidi, {A}. and {S}himelis, {H}. and {C}haplot, {V}incent and {S}hamuyarira, {K}. and {F}iglan, {S}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{C}rop biomass is the reservoir of carbon ({C}), a valuable input to the soil, thus supporting the soil fauna and enhancing soil health. {T}here are limited studies that compared the major cereal crops for {C} storage for regenerative agriculture and to optimize {C} sequestration strategies. {T}he objective of this study was to quantify the extent of variation in biomass allocation and {C} storage between maize ({Z}ea mays {L}.), sorghum ({S}orghum bicolor [{L}.] {M}oench), and wheat ({T}riticum aestivum {L}.) for crop production, and {C} sequestration potential. {T}he study used metadata from 40 global studies that reported on the allocation of plant biomass and {C} between roots and shoots of the major cereal crops. {K}ey statistics were computed to determine the variability between genotypes for total plant biomass ({P}b), shoot biomass ({S}b), root biomass ({R}b), root-to-shoot biomass ratio ({R}b/{S}b), total plant carbon content, shoot carbon content, root carbon content, total plant carbon stock ({PC}s), shoot carbon stock, root carbon stock, and root-to-shoot carbon stock ratio ({RC}s/{SC}s). {M}aize exhibited the highest variability for {P}b (with a coefficient of variation [{CV}] of 31.2% and a mean of 4.2 +/- 1.3 {M}g ha-1 year-1), followed by wheat ({CV} of 24.2% and a mean of 1.5 +/- 0.4 {M}g ha-1 year-1) and sorghum ({CV} of 16.8% and a mean of 2.0 +/- 0.8 {M}g ha-1 year-1), respectively. {A} similar trend was observed for {PC}s, with maize ({CV} of 40.1% and mean of 1.6 +/- 0.7 {M}g ha-1 year-1) showing the highest total plant {C} stock variability, followed by wheat (24.4% and 0.2 +/- 0.1 {M}g ha-1 year-1) and sorghum (16.3% and 0.9 +/- 0.3 {M}g ha-1 year-1), respectively. {M}aize (with a {CV} of 24.4% and mean of 0.1 +/- 0.03 {M}g ha-1 year-1) exhibited the highest variability for {R}b/{S}b, while wheat (30.92% and 0.2 +/- 0.05 {M}g ha-1 year-1) exhibited the highest variability for {RC}s/{SC}s. {C}orrelation analysis revealed the following significant associations: {P}b and mean annual temperature ({MAT}) (r = -0.47), and {S}b and {MAT} (r = -0.43), and {P}b and mean annual precipitation ({MAP}) (r = -0.34), and {S}b and {MAP} (r = -0.30). {R}b had a strong, significant positive correlation with {MAT} (r = 0.72) and {MAP} (r = 0.85). {T}he meta-analysis revealed that maize and sorghum have the highest variability for {P}b and plant carbon stocks, while wheat exhibited the highest variability for the below-ground biomass and carbon stocks. {T}he data aided in crop selection and suggested that the best cultivars could be developed and identified for production and {C} sequestration potential for cultivation by farmers, land rehabilitation, and climate change mitigation. {T}here is sufficient genetic variation in maize, sorghum, and wheat cultivars for manipulation of biomass and carbon allocation. {R}oot carbon is a major contributor to soil organic carbon. {A}bove-ground biomass is important for atmospheric carbon sequestration.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}rop {S}cience},
  volume = {64},
  numero = {4},
  pages = {2064--2080},
  ISSN = {0011-183{X}},
  year = {2024},
  DOI = {10.1002/csc2.21294},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010091005},
}