A new way to genetically tweak photosynthesis boosts plant growth
Tobacco plants with a simplified process of photorespiration grew 40 percent bigger
A genetic hack to make photosynthesis more efficient could be a boon for agricultural production, at least for some plants.
This feat of genetic engineering simplifies a complex, energy-expensive operation that many plants must perform during photosynthesis known as photorespiration. In field tests, genetically modifying tobacco in this way increased plant growth by over 40 percent. If it produces similar results in other crops, that could help farmers meet the food demands of a growing global population, researchers report in the Jan. 4 Science.