Photosynthesis News and Research

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Photosynthesis is a chemical process by which plants, some bacteria, and algae convert energy derived from sunlight to chemical energy. This is an important process for biological life on earth because it allows energy from sunlight to be harnessed and transferred into a form that can be utilized by organisms to fuel their activity.

Researchers explore the impact of raindrops on noncircular fibers of longleaf pine

If you have ever hiked in the woods and been surrounded by the sight and smell of pine trees, you may have taken a closer look at pine needles and wondered how their shape, material properties, and surface wettability are all influenced by rainfall.

30 Sep 2020

Researchers find way to engineer more efficient versions of plant enzyme

Researchers have found a way to engineer more efficient versions of the plant enzyme Rubisco by using a red-algae-like Rubisco from a bacterium.

29 Sep 2020

Tree rings show scale of arctic pollution is worse than previously thought

A large study of tree rings has shown that the direct and indirect effects of industrial pollution in the region and beyond are far worse than previously thought.

28 Sep 2020

Loss of seagrass will leave tropical islands vulnerable to climate change

Tropical islands have an important ally when it comes to battling storms and sea-level rise: seagrass. During hurricane Irma, an extremely powerful Category 5 storm that hit the North Caribbean in 2017, NIOZ scientist Rebecca James witnessed how native seagrass meadows along the coast of Sint Maarten held their ground, reduced coastal erosion and lowered the chances of flooding.

25 Sep 2020

Combining two tools could increase understanding of carbon dioxide uptake by plants

How much carbon dioxide, a pivotal greenhouse gas behind global warming, is absorbed by plants on land? It's a deceptively complicated question, so a Rutgers-led group of scientists recommends combining two cutting-edge tools to help answer the crucial climate change-related question.

From Rutgers University 24 Sep 2020

Lifeforms likely used arsenic before oxygen was present on planet Earth

Much of life on planet Earth today relies on oxygen to exist, but before oxygen was present on our blue planet, lifeforms likely used arsenic instead.

23 Sep 2020

Researchers discover novel resistance gene to devastating potato disease

Late blight is the most important pathogen in potato and causes devastation worldwide. The disease, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, was the trigger of the Irish Famine and still one of the most serious threats to potato production that causes significant economic losses.

22 Sep 2020

Escherichia coli bacteria show path to speed up photosynthesis

Cornell University scientists have engineered a key plant enzyme and introduced it in Escherichia coli bacteria in order to create an optimal experimental environment for studying how to speed up photosynthesis, a holy grail for improving crop yields.

22 Sep 2020

Growing algae for biofuels in the dark using solar-generated electricity

Algae could compete with petroleum as the fuel of the future if only the process of growing it was more efficient. Thanks to a fellowship from the Link Foundation, it soon could be.

16 Sep 2020

Study shows heather plant is a valuable source of antioxidants

Heather is a source of useful biologically active substances that have antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective effects.

26 Aug 2020

New mechanism that enables spruce trees to adapt to winter discovered

Photosynthesis in conifer forests is one of the most important carbon sinks on a global scale. Unlike broadleaf trees, conifers are evergreen and retain their photosynthesis structure throughout the year.

19 Aug 2020

Novel technique of biofortification converts leaves into nutrient stores

A new collaborative study led by researchers from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) in Barcelona and the Institute for Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMCP) in Valencia describes a promising strategy to improve the nutritional benefits of crops.

18 Aug 2020

Scientists resolve photosynthetic bottlenecks to increase crop productivity

Plants are factories that manufacture yield from light and carbon dioxide--but parts of this complex process, called photosynthesis, are hindered by a lack of raw materials and machinery.

11 Aug 2020

Small trees could form the basis of drought-resistant rainforests

Small trees that grow up in drought conditions could form the basis of more drought-resistant rainforests, new research suggests.

From University of Exeter 5 Aug 2020

Tinted solar panels can generate electricity and also produce nutritionally-superior crops

Researchers have demonstrated the use of tinted, semi-transparent solar panels to generate electricity and produce nutritionally-superior crops simultaneously, bringing the prospect of higher incomes for farmers and maximising use of agricultural land.

5 Aug 2020