Scientists from the University of Illinois discovered the natural lack of photosynthesis, the correction of which resulted in a yield increase up to 40 percent compared to the same crops growing “in the usual way”. About this study and the results, writes the journal Science, reports ScienceAlert.
Photosynthesis – the chemical reaction that enables plants to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into substances necessary for growth and development of plants. The elimination of the defect observed in the process of photosynthesis, can produce the same amount of crops significantly more yield, which in the future will be enough to feed 200 million hungry people on the planet.
To date, scientists have applied a “hotfix” only on tobacco plants, so it is not about applying the same method on food culture. However, the researchers note, this is a very important and promising step towards developing new varieties of plants, capable of photosynthesis more efficient and as a result – hunger.
So what is the “bug” of photosynthesis, and how scientists propose to fix it? The problem is called “photorespiration” plants. This process is the enzyme ribulosebisphosphate (Rubisco). As it turned out, he is often wrong – takes oxygen for carbon dioxide, which leads to development is not so important for cells by-products such as phosphate glycolic acid and ammonia. These molecules are utilized, but the plant has to spend its vitality, and the process of withdrawal of these substances is not as fast as I would like. Thus interferes with the normal photosynthesis process. As a result, reduced productivity (yield) of the plant.
Researchers have found a way to eliminate the shortage. Check the result of genetic modification have succeeded so far only in tobacco plant. The culture was grown in greenhouses, and the scientists monitored the changes in its yield. The experiment showed that due to the “improved” method of photosynthesis on average, the index increased by 25 percent. And in some cases there was an increase in yield up to 40 percent.
Scientists say that according to various estimates, the same figure would give from 20 to 50 percent more yield, if the enzyme Rubisco worked with greater precision and speed. At the moment there is active work on the adaptation of genetic modification for other types of crops.
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