Carbon Sequestration: Dual Benefit in Climate Action and Plant Disease Management

Global food security has been suffering from the emerging climate crisis caused by rising atmospheric CO₂. Carbon sequestration is an implicit climate mitigation strategy. Its potential to develop plant disease resistance remains under several experiments. This review gathers evidence on these dual benefits, investigating the direct and indirect effect of carbon sequestration on environment and plant immunity. A robust review of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and CAB Abstracts (2000-2024) was conducted. The findings found two key mechanisms. Firstly, elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) directly guides plant defenses by enhancing carbon fixation, thereby the carbon enters photosynthesis to accumulate the sugar which alters redox balance and stimulates salicylic acid (SA) signaling while suppressing jasmonic acid (JA). Pathogens exhibit resistance due to this shift in hormonal balance. The infestation of tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV), mainly transmitted by whiteflies, was reduced by up to 14.6% and severity by 20.0%. Secondly, proper sequestration practices based on soil passively manage disease occurrence through enhancing soil organic matter and providing compatible habitat for beneficial microorganisms. This review showed that carbon sequestration is a synergistic, climate-smart strategy. Moreover, a solution to a sustainable pathway to mitigate atmospheric CO₂ and reduce overuse of chemical pesticides which fosters the climate to combat the dramatic rise of Green House Gases (GHG). More emphasis should be given in this regard by the authorities responsible.

Keywords: Carbon Sequestration; Elevated CO₂; Plant Immunity; Salicylic Acid; Jasmonic Acid; Climate-Smart Agriculture.