Innovative Crop Engineering: Plants That ‘Breathe’ Carbon Dioxide for a Greener Future

Researchers have modified sugarcane and sorghum to capitalize on increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide, enabling these crops to expand more significantly.

In order to accomplish this, scientists concentrated on the enzyme Rubisco. Plants utilize Rubisco to assist in capturing carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. However, there are instances where Rubisco can instead consume oxygen, impeding growth. As human activities release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, Rubisco becomes more efficient, aiding in the capture of increased carbon dioxide, which subsequently enhances plant growth.

Nonetheless, elevated carbon dioxide levels have not provided the same advantages to every plant species. A limited number of plants have evolved to be highly efficient, having developed a mechanism that concentrates carbon dioxide within their cells. These plants — which comprise corn, sugarcane, and sorghum — are constrained less by the carbon dioxide available in the atmosphere and more by the quantity of Rubisco present in their foliage.

For a recent investigation, scientists focused on these plants, modifying their genetic structure to produce additional Rubisco, New Scientist reported. Previous studies had demonstrated that this approach would accelerate corn growth in controlled environments. The latest research examines the effects on sorghum cultivated outdoors, revealing that the additional Rubisco enhanced its growth by 16 percent, on average. The impact was even more pronounced in sugarcane grown in greenhouse conditions, as indicated by the study, which has yet to undergo peer review.

Lead author Coralie Salesse-Smith from the University of Illinois stated, “I believe enhancing photosynthesis, particularly through Rubisco, will be a crucial strategy to address future food demands.”

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