Satellite observations indicate that chia uses less water than other crops in warm climates.

Autor: Kirsch B; Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA., Fisher JB; Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA., Piechota T; Fowler School of Engineering, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA., Hassani M; Fowler School of Engineering, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA., Suardiaz DC; Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico., Puri R; Fowler School of Engineering, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA., Cahill J; Ventura Botanical Garden, Ventura, CA, USA., Atamian HS; Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA. atamian@chapman.edu.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Communications biology [Commun Biol] 2024 Sep 30; Vol. 7 (1), pp. 1225. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Sep 30.
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06841-y
Abstrakt: Many parts of the world face severe and prolonged drought conditions, stressing the sustainability of water resources and agriculture. Transitioning to water-efficient crops is one strategy that can help adapt to water scarcity. An emerging drought-tolerant crop of interest is chia (Salvia hispanica). Yet, no study has compared its large-scale water use dynamics to those of widely established crops across the globe. Here, we use satellite data over multiple years to assess the water use efficiency of chia, alfalfa, corn, and soybean globally. Results show that chia consumed 13-38% less water than alfalfa, corn, and soy and assimilated 14-20% more carbon per amount of water used. Substituting 10% of Southwest United States alfalfa cultivation with chia would save 184 million liters of water per growing season, equivalent to the annual water consumption of 1,300 households. Future research shall explore the economic, societal, and environmental ramifications of substituting alfalfa with chia in dry areas worldwide. These insights can guide decision-makers in promoting sustainable agriculture and water resource management.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz:
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje