Dynamic Model Measures Impact of Light Fluctuations on Photosynthesis
September 1, 2021 |
Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a model that treats photosynthesis as a dynamic process rather than an activity that either is or is not happening, allowing the group to examine the impacts of light fluctuations that crop leaves experience due to intermittent clouds, overlying leaves, and the sun's daily passage across the sky.
These light fluctuations are the norm in today's densely planted crops. Lower efficiency of photosynthesis due to slow adjustment to light changes and are estimated to cost up to 40 percent of potential productivity. If crop leaves could be genetically manipulated to adjust more rapidly, then the gain in productivity and efficiency of water use would be substantial.
"When light changes, the plants need time to get used to it. It takes time and decreases efficiency," said Yu Wang, a postdoctoral researcher at Illinois, who led this work for a research project called Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE). In a recent study, RIPE researchers have shown that by treating photosynthesis as a dynamic process, they could improve the response time of C4 plants, (plants that use C4 carbon fixation for photosynthesis) such as corn, to adjust more rapidly to fluctuations in light.
First, the research team validated their model against actual photosynthesis measurements in fluctuating light, which they made in corn, sorghum, and sugarcane. They then used their model to predict which steps in photosynthesis limited the response of the process to fluctuations in light in the three crops. By treating photosynthesis as a dynamic process, the researchers were able to identify the segments of the process that limit the speed of response. Through their modeling and simulation, they identified two proteins they believe are essential in the adjustment.
For more details, read the article on the RIPE website.
|
You might also like:
- Discovery Ends Long-Standing Photosynthesis Controversy
- Scientists Unravel Mystery of Photosynthesis
- Experts Unlock Key to Photosynthesis
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Our World in Data Says Only ~10% of Global Food Crops Depend on Pollinators
- SOLVE Info-Sufficiency on Genome-edited Crops
- Kenyan Feed Manufacturers Ask Gov't to Allow Importation of GMO Feed Materials
- Dynamic Model Measures Impact of Light Fluctuations on Photosynthesis
- Animal Biotech Experts Brief Stakeholders in Asia Oceania Region
- Ukraine Government Supports Two Draft Laws on GMO Regulation
- Genome-Edited Wheat Field Trial Gets UK Government Approval
-
Research Highlights
- Aspergillus Gene Confers Salt Tolerance to Soybean Plants
-
Plant
- Semi-dwarf Rice Developed Using CRISPR-Cas9
- Understanding Benefits Increases Consumers' Willingness to Accept, Buy Novel Foods
- Researchers Use CRISPR to Understand Genetic Characteristics of Wound Healing in Potatoes
-
Health
- Researchers Shed New Light on the Molecular Detail of COVID-19
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (October 30, 2024)
- Gene Editing Supplement (October 30, 2024)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet