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 Jonathan Lynch on a second Green Revolution

EarthSky

In order to feed billions of people on Earth today – and the billions more expected by 2050 – we need a second Green Revolution. That’s according to Dr. Jonathan Lynch, professor of plant nutrition at Penn State. He explained that the Green Revolution of the 1960’s was spurred by agricultural advances.

目前全球有数十亿人口，预计到2050年还会增加几十亿，为了满足如此巨大的粮食需求，我们必须发起第二次“绿色革命”。这是宾夕法尼亚州立大学植物营养学家乔森纳•林奇教授提出的。他解释说，农业的发展推动了上世纪六十年代的“绿色革命”。

“The first Green Revolution was using fertilizers and irrigation to improve yields.”

“第一次‘绿色革命’是使用施肥和灌溉的技术来增加粮食产量的。”

Lynch said the second Green Revolution can’t depend on irrigation or fertilizer. He said that’s because many farmers in developing countries can’t afford either. To grow more food under tough conditions affordably, Dr. Lynch said, we’re going to have to breed plants with improved roots.

林奇认为，第二次“绿色革命”不能再依靠灌溉或施肥这些方法了，原因是许多发展中国家的农民承担不起这些开支。林奇表示，为了让农民在恶劣环境下也能用实惠的方法获得增收，我们会用改良过的根来种植庄稼。

“The roots are the part of the plant that take up water and nutrients. So if you want a plant that is going to be better at getting water and nutrients, you’ve got to have better roots.”

“根是庄稼的一部分，功能是吸收水分和养料。所以，如果你希望一颗植株能更充分地吸收水分养料，就一定需要更优良的根。”

Working with staple crops like beans and corn, Lynch identifies which root traits – like deep, or shallow -will help plants get the sustenance they need.

林奇利用豆子和玉米之类的主要农作物进行实验，发现根的特点——比如深的或是浅的——都会影响植株对必需养分的吸收。

“For some nutrients like phosphorous which are in the top soil, we want shallow roots.”

“有些养料位于土壤表层，比如磷，那么我们就需要较浅的根。”

Lynch then collaborates with plant breeders. He said evidence suggests that just changing the seeds to varieties with improved roots can double or triple farmers’ yields. 

之后，林奇与植物培育者合作。他说事实证明，只需改良种子根的特性，就让农民的收成多一倍甚至两倍。

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