Global agriculture accounts for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions, and that number will only increase as global food demand is forecast to double by 2050, which will cause significant strain on the environment. Researchers in London have unraveled the mystery of how some plant species evolved super-efficient photosynthesis—a discovery that could be used to breed super-crops, such as faster-growing, drought-resistant rice, according to a paper published in the journal eLife.
Approximately 3% of all plants use an advanced form of photosynthesis, which allows them to capture more carbon dioxide, use less water, and grow more rapidly. Overall, this makes them over 50% more efficient than plants that use the less-efficient form.
Researchers from the Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge traced back the evolutionary paths of all the plants that use advanced photosynthesis, including maize, sugar cane and millet, to find out how they evolved the same ability independently, despite not being directly related to one another. Using a mathematical analysis, the researchers uncovered a number of tiny changes in the plants’ physiology that, when combined, allow them to grow more quickly; using one-third as much water as other plants; and capturing around 13 times more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
They suggest that together, these individual evolutionary advances make up a “recipe” that could be used to improve key agricultural crops that only use the less-efficient form.
"Encouragingly for the efforts to design super-efficient crops, we found that several different pathways lead to the more efficient photosynthesis—so there are plenty of different recipes biologists could follow to achieve this," the researchers said. “This is not only an interesting mathematical result, it should help biological scientists to develop crops with significantly improved yields to feed the world.”
In 2010, British researchers suggested large-scale crop failures most likely will become more common under climate change due to an increased frequency of extreme weather events. Their findings, published in Environmental Research Letters, suggested adaptation to climate change can be possible through a combination of new crops that are more tolerant to heat and water stress, and socio-economic measures. Over the past two years, record-breaking temperatures in the United States have affected crop yields and forced global food prices to reach record highs.
Researchers from the Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge traced back the evolutionary paths of all the plants that use advanced photosynthesis, including maize, sugar cane and millet, to find out how they evolved the same ability independently, despite not being directly related to one another. Using a mathematical analysis, the researchers uncovered a number of tiny changes in the plants’ physiology that, when combined, allow them to grow more quickly; using one-third as much water as other plants; and capturing around 13 times more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
They suggest that together, these individual evolutionary advances make up a “recipe” that could be used to improve key agricultural crops that only use the less-efficient form.
"Encouragingly for the efforts to design super-efficient crops, we found that several different pathways lead to the more efficient photosynthesis—so there are plenty of different recipes biologists could follow to achieve this," the researchers said. “This is not only an interesting mathematical result, it should help biological scientists to develop crops with significantly improved yields to feed the world.”
In 2010, British researchers suggested large-scale crop failures most likely will become more common under climate change due to an increased frequency of extreme weather events. Their findings, published in Environmental Research Letters, suggested adaptation to climate change can be possible through a combination of new crops that are more tolerant to heat and water stress, and socio-economic measures. Over the past two years, record-breaking temperatures in the United States have affected crop yields and forced global food prices to reach record highs.
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