Study Shows Plants Respond to Different Light Intensities

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have unraveled how plants respond to different light intensities and temperatures that could help create a better adaptation of crops to climate change.

The researchers have characterized and compared the biochemical levels of the phytochrome family of Arabidopsis, maize, and potatoes. They found that different expression levels of isoforms in the phytochromes work collectively to signal the photoreceptors in plants to respond differently to light intensity and temperature.  This process allows the plants to adapt to various kinds of environments.

The researchers have also identified two isoforms of phytochrome, PhyA and PhyB. PhyA activates during low levels of light while PhyB activates during full exposure to sunlight. The discovery of these isoforms could have a bigger role in the threat of global warming because the researchers could use these to modify the light and temperature response of crops to produce better yields.

For more details, read the news release on the website of Washington University in St. Louis.