Scientists Trick Plants to 'See' Light to Increase Productivity

Could there be a way to increase the productivity of plants even out of season? Scientists may have just found the "switch" in plants to manage it. They've discovered the structure of the plant phytochrome, a critical molecule that detects light and tells plants when to germinate, grow, make food, flower, and even age.

The phytochrome is a light sensor that can convert sunlight into chemical signals. By manipulating this structure, in theory, scientists can alter the conditions under which all plants grow and develop.

"It's the molecule that tells plants when to flower," said Richard Vierstra, the lead researcher, in a news release. "Plants use the molecule to sense where they are in the canopy; they use the phytochromes for color vision-to sense whether they are above, next to or under other plants."

Being able to grow plants at high density would mean that a plot of land could potentially feed far more people than previously. Currently, there's a limit to how closely plants can grow relative to their nearest neighbor. Yet if researchers could manipulate the phytochrome, then they could potentially solve that issue.

The phytochrome senses the wavelength of light shining on plants. Plants in full sun absorb red light, while shaded plants only receive leftover, far-red light. The type of light that the phytochrome senses determines whether the plant stretches out and becomes taller or flowers and makes fruit.

"By mutating the phytochromes, we created plants that think they're in full sun, even when they're not," said Verstra. This causes plants to stay in the active state longer.

The findings have important implications for plant breeders and growers. Yet it also has implications for other scientists. The technology could be used to create new fluorescent molecules for detecting minuscule events inside cells, and in the field of optogenetics, which uses light as a tool to drive biological change.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.