The Salk Harnessing Plants Initiative changed how plant biologists around the world think about their work: Basic plant science can be leveraged and scaled to address major global challenges.
Major accomplishments
With five-year funding from the TED Audacious Project, Hess Corporation, Bezos Earth Fund, Sempra Energy, and others, as of May 2025 the team exceeded its goals by:
- Sequencing 900 plant genomes across seven crop species, enabling targeted genetic optimization within and across crop types
- Identifying 347 candidate genes that can be harnessed to produce desired root and soil carbon-storage traits
- Developing 38 Salk Ideal Plant lines across five target crops—rice, canola, pennycress, soybean, and sorghum—genetically optimized to capture and store more carbon than wild-type counterparts through longer, larger roots enriched with carbon-storing molecules like suberin, while also delivering co-benefits such as enhanced drought tolerance and improved soil health
- Launching Cquesta, a dedicated biotechnology spinout company, to carry out field trials and commercialize Salk Ideal Plant traits
Current work
With Cquesta now working to scale Salk Ideal Plants worldwide, Salk scientists are focusing on what they do best—fundamental plant science, backed by leading-edge technology. They are now using what they’ve learned to:
- Discover and validate additional plant genes of interest, such as carbon sequestration-enhancing genes
- Develop and implement RootGPT, a Salk-created AI tool that helps scientists quickly identify and develop new and precise phenotypes, such as carbon sequestration enhancements
- Combine multiple desirable genetic traits into single crops to create a new generation of Salk Ideal Plants that have multiple beneficial characteristics, such as the ability to enrich soil and withstand drought, in addition to capturing carbon dioxide
This work may further deepen roots and improve nature-based soil carbon capture, or scientists may discover new ways plants can be leveraged to improve our planet.
