As climate change poses risks to plant growth and food supply, researchers have identified how iron deficient plants optimize photosynthesis and regulate light protection.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows how plants lacking iron optimize photosynthesis, and it describes the genetic processes that regulate light protection in plants that lack sufficient levels of the mineral.

«We are trying to identify the downstream genes that control the efficiency of sunlight capture and conversion in plants,» said Mary Lou Guerinot, professor of biological sciences at Dartmouth and senior researcher of the study. «This study adds to what we know about how plants respond to environmental change at a critical time for our human food supply.»

Iron is important in humans for oxygen transport in the blood and is a key cofactor for many enzymatic reactions including energy generation in mitochondria. According to research cited in the study, iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional disorder in humans.

Iron is also an important nutrient for plants. Iron deficiency severely limits photosynthesis, leading to decreased yields.

Since most people obtain the majority of their calories and nutrients from plants, it is important that researchers understand how plants process the mineral.

Story Source:
Materials provided by Dartmouth College. Original written by David Hirsch. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.