Scientists testing how crops react in higher CO2 conditions than now – simulating conditions likely over the next 50 years, say that one effect will likely be that protein content will be reduced by one fifth. Plants lose the ability to absorb as much nitrogen in higher CO2 conditions. Most plants use nitrate as the most common form of nitrogen and convert it to protein.
Arnold Bloom, lead author of the UC Davis study published in Science, said that when they increased the levels of CO2 in the test to the levels scientists predict over the next 50 years, it led to “nitrogen starved” crops that contained 20% less protein for human consumption.
“Wheat grain that has been exposed to the conditions that we expect in the next few decades declines about 20 per cent,” he said. (more…)