SAN DIEGO — A group of scientists from around the world is harnessing the power of plants to turn on photosynthesis to build a better future.
What you need to know Scientists discover how some plant species have evolved a more efficient approach to photosynthesis
These discoveries could help make crops such as rice and wheat more resilient to climate change
According to the USDA, rice is the main staple food for more than half of the world’s population
Salk scientists collaborated with the University of Cambridge to discover the discovery
Adam McCurdy feels the power of nature every time he puts his hands in the dirt. He is a farmer at Coastal Roots, a nonprofit community farm. Last year, they donated more than 90% of their food to nourish the community.
As an organic regenerative farmer, McCurdy knows how important it is to grow healthy food to feed a growing population.
“We don’t need more chemicals. We don’t need to really take away the miracles of nature,” he said. “What we have to do is get back to the science.”
(Image provided by: Salk Institute)
Sauk Island scientists like Joe Ecker and Joseph Swift agree. They are studying the differences between plants like sorghum, which have a more efficient photosynthesis called C4, and other plants such as rice, which have a less efficient photosynthesis called C3.
“We want to incorporate the characteristics of C4 plants into C3 to increase efficiency, which is particularly efficient at high temperatures and, as we know, temperatures are rising, making it more resilient and more efficient. “Increasing the number of plants will be an important outcome,” Ecker said.
For the first time, Salk scientists and colleagues at the University of Cambridge have discovered the key steps required for C4 plants to evolve into such efficient photosynthetic machines.
“It’s really about understanding evolution,” Ecker says. “When you compare C3 and C4 plants and try to understand, is it a new gene? No, it’s probably not a new gene. It’s a new rewiring of those genes.”
“We know the world is going to change within the next 80 to 100 years, and we need to ensure agriculture is ready for that moment,” Swift said.
Ecker and Swift hope to use this information to turn on C4 photosynthesis and make crops such as rice, wheat and soybeans more resilient to climate change.
“Rather than introducing new genes, the best approach is to simply change the way existing genes are turned on or off in the plant,” Swift said. “And that’s what our discoveries will help lead the way.”
McCurdy is proud to work with researchers who are also working to feed the world.
“We’re working with scientists and we’re working with other farms and farmers locally, nationally and really around the world to look at ways to evolve the system,” McCurdy said. . “We can learn from each other, put nutrient density back into our food, and build food sovereignty. What I’m looking forward to is farming.”
According to the USDA, rice is the main staple food for more than half of the world’s population. According to Salk, plants that use C4 photosynthesis have a 50% increase in efficiency compared to C3 plants.