Hacking Photosynthesis

As the world continues to grow, so does agriculture. Currently, there are 7.2 billion people on the earth today. It is estimated by 2050 that there will be 9.4 billion people. This raises concerns for farmers who fear that they will not be able to provide that much food for the world. Scientists are trying to find a way to make more food on fewer plots of land. To do this, the RIPE (Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency) project is trying to hack photosynthesis. In their research, they focus on the enzyme known as Rubisco. Rubisco’s function is to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and help convert it into sugar and fuel. Photosynthesis relies on this enzyme, but there is one major problem. Rubisco grabs an oxygen molecule about one in every five times. Whiles this is not a problem for the plants, as they have a way to deal with this, it is a problem for us. This process of recycling the unwanted compounds takes time and uses energy that could be used for pant growth. To solve this problem, scientists deprived tobacco plants of carbon dioxide. The plants that responded the best under these conditions were then grown on a farm. It was found that these plants grew 40% larger than normal. Their next step is to apply this process to crops like potatoes. If they are able to do this to these plants, they will be able to provide food for everyone in the future.