Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-30-2024
Abstract
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.
Recommended Citation
Kirsch, B., Fisher, J.B., Piechota, T. et al. Satellite observations indicate that chia uses less water than other crops in warm climates. Commun Biol 7, 1225 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06841-y
Copyright
The authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Included in
Agriculture Commons, Botany Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Other Plant Sciences Commons, Sustainability Commons
Comments
This article was originally published in Communications Biology, volume 7, in 2024. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06841-y