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Developing new varieties of deep-rooted crops may enhance silicon uptake and agroecosystem services. This enhancement is involved in three vital ecosystem processes: (i) increasing crop silicon uptake in deep horizons where it is more readily available as Si(OH4), (ii) contributing to storing more stable organic carbon at depth via root decomposition and deep pedogenic pathways, and (iii) accelerating CO2 transformation into stored or leached alkalinity via deep silicate weathering.
This paper is a call to action. By publishing concurrently across journals like an emergency bulletin, we are not merely making a plea for awareness about climate change. Instead, we are demanding immediate, tangible steps that harness the power of microbiology and the expertise of researchers and policymakers to safeguard the planet for future generations.