High CO2 Reduces Nutritional Value Of Key Crops

Researchers have found that the elevated carbon dioxide levels of 2050 could lead to lower levels of micronutrients and protein in staple crops.

AsianScientist (May 14, 2014) – A study has shown that the levels of CO2 forecast for 2050 could deplete the nutritional quality of major food crops, posing a significant challenge for global food security.

The study, published the journal Nature, found that elevated carbon dioxide was associated with lower concentrations of zinc and iron in wheat, rice and legume crops, and lower protein concentrations in wheat and rice crops.

The results have significant implications for global health, as these food crops are the staple diet of a large proportion of the global population. Dietary deficiencies of zinc and iron currently affect about two billion people, reduced dietary access to these nutrients due to high CO2 levels will worsen the situation.

The research was based on data from six crop varieties in 40 growing clusters across three continents. The crops were cultivated in Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) environments, which allow plants to be grown in open fields at the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels expected in 2050.

“If we are planning on breeding new crop varieties, or adopting new technologies or practices in food production to counter these drawbacks, then 35 years is not a very long time,” said co-author of the study Professor Michael Tausz from the University of Melbourne.

“What it means is that any new strategy in crop production to respond to these challenges, be it in plant breeding or agronomic management, must already be evaluated for its efficiency under the future high carbon dioxide atmosphere, where it actually has to perform.”

The article can be found at: Myers et al. (2014) Increasing CO2 Threatens Human Nutrition.

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Source: University of Melbourne.

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