Crop biomass is the reservoir of carbon (C), a valuable input to the soil, thus supporting the soil fauna and enhancing soil health. There are limited studies that compared the major cereal crops for C storage for regenerative agriculture and to optimize C sequestration strategies. The objective of this study was to quantify the extent of variation in biomass allocation and C storage between maize (Zea mays L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for crop production, and C sequestration potential. The 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. Key statistics were computed to determine the variability between genotypes for total plant biomass (Pb), shoot biomass (Sb), root biomass (Rb), root-to-shoot biomass ratio (Rb/Sb), total plant carbon content, shoot carbon content, root carbon content, total plant carbon stock (PCs), shoot carbon stock, root carbon stock, and root-to-shoot carbon stock ratio (RCs/SCs). Maize exhibited the highest variability for Pb (with a coefficient of variation [CV] of 31.2% and a mean of 4.2 ± 1.3 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), followed by wheat (CV of 24.2% and a mean of 1.5 ± 0.4 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and sorghum (CV of 16.8% and a mean of 2.0 ± 0.8 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), respectively. A similar trend was observed for PCs, with maize (CV of 40.1% and mean of 1.6 ± 0.7 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) showing the highest total plant C stock variability, followed by wheat (24.4% and 0.2 ± 0.1 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and sorghum (16.3% and 0.9 ± 0.3 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), respectively. Maize (with a CV of 24.4% and mean of 0.1 ± 0.03 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) exhibited the highest variability for Rb/Sb, while wheat (30.92% and 0.2 ± 0.05 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) exhibited the highest variability for RCs/SCs. Correlation analysis revealed the following significant associations: Pb and mean annual temperature (MAT) (r = −0.47), and Sb and MAT (r = −0.43), and Pb and mean annual precipitation (MAP) (r = −0.34), and Sb and MAP (r = −0.30). Rb had a strong, significant positive correlation with MAT (r = 0.72) and MAP (r = 0.85). The meta-analysis revealed that maize and sorghum have the highest variability for Pb and plant carbon stocks, while wheat exhibited the highest variability for the below-ground biomass and carbon stocks. The 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.

中文翻译：

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主要谷类作物的生物质分配和碳储存：荟萃分析


作物生物质是碳 (C) 的储存库，是土壤的宝贵输入，从而支持土壤动物群并增强土壤健康。比较主要谷类作物用于再生农业的碳储存和优化碳封存策略的研究有限。本研究的目的是量化作物生产中玉米 (Zea mays L.)、高粱 (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) 和小麦 (Triticum aestivum L.) 之间生物量分配和碳储存的变化程度，和碳封存潜力。该研究使用了 40 项全球研究的元数据，这些研究报告了主要谷类作物的根和芽之间植物生物量和碳的分配。计算关键统计数据以确定植物总生物量（Pb）、茎生物量（Sb）、根生物量（Rb）、根茎生物量比（Rb/Sb）、植物总碳含量、茎碳含量的基因型之间的变异性含量、根碳含量、植物总碳储量（PCs）、地上部碳储量、根碳储量和根-地上部碳储量比（RCs/SCs）。玉米的 Pb 变异性最高（变异系数 [CV] 为 31.2%，平均值为 4.2 ± 1.3 毫克·公顷 ⁻¹ 年 ⁻¹ ），其次是小麦（CV 24.2%，平均 1.5 ± 0.4 毫克·公顷 ⁻¹ 年 ⁻¹ ）和高粱（CV 16.8%，平均 2.0 ± 0.8 毫克·公顷 ⁻¹ 年 ⁻¹ ），分别。 PC 也观察到类似的趋势，其中玉米（CV 为 40.1%，平均值为 1.6 ± 0.7 Mg ha ⁻¹ 年 ⁻¹ ）显示出最高的植物总碳库变异性，其次是小麦（24.4％和0.2±0.1毫克公顷 ⁻¹ 年 ⁻¹ ）和高粱（16.3％和0.9±0.3毫克公顷 ⁻¹ 年 ⁻¹ 年 ⁻¹ ）表现出最高的 Rb/Sb 变异性，而小麦（30.92% 和 0.2 ± 0.05 毫克·公顷 ⁻¹ 年 ⁻¹ ）对于 RC/SC 表现出最高的变异性。相关分析揭示了以下显着关联：Pb 和年平均气温 (MAT) (r = -0.47)、Sb 和 MAT (r = -0.43)、Pb 和年平均降水量 (MAP) (r = -0.34)，以及 Sb 和 MAP (r = −0.30)。 Rb 与 MAT (r = 0.72) 和 MAP (r = 0.85) 具有很强的显着正相关性。荟萃分析显示，玉米和高粱的铅和植物碳储量的变异性最高，而小麦的地下生物量和碳储量的变异性最高。这些数据有助于作物选择，并表明可以开发和确定最佳品种，用于农民种植、土地恢复和减缓气候变化的生产和碳封存潜力。