The prospects of growing large-herb plants as carbon-depositing crops
The purpose of the research is to study of yield some annual and perennial plant species which were grown in the botanical garden of the Ural Federal University. Plant species with high productivity, resistant to local soil and climatic conditions and promising for carbon sequestration have been identified. Methods. The article presents data of fresh and dry yield, carbon content of five species Amaranthus caudatus L., Amaranthus cruentus L., Amaranthus hypochondriacus L., Polygonum weyrichii F. Schmidt, Echinops sphaerocephalus L. The yield of these crops was measured in the conditions of the Middle Urals. Results. The plants P. weyrichii had the highest yield. The yield of three amaranth species was due to the C 4 photosynthesis. Amaranths, being drought-resistant plants, are highly productive even in years with a hydrothermal coefficient value of less than 1.0. The plants E. sphaerocephalus is a poorly studied species that requires further study. They can be also used to deposit atmospheric carbon and grow on potential carbon farms in the changing climate of the region. In not very favorable climatic conditions in 2022, a potential carbon farm based on the monoculture of the plants P. weyrichii can bind up to 9.54 t/ha of carbon, in terms of carbon dioxide - 34.98 CO 2 /year per 1 ha. It is significantly higher than the level of sequestration of carbon dioxide of most trees. These values can increase by 1.5-2 times in the best climatic conditions or with additional watering. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that these plants can be used not only for fodder purposes, but also for atmospheric carbon deposition in the changing climate of region.