ORNL researchers work to develop drought-resistant crops
Now scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered the metabolic and genetic underpinnings that allow plants, such as the agave plant, to do so.
Understanding this process at a basic level could lead to real world-applications in efforts to develop drought-resistant food and bioenergy crops, Xiaohan Yang, Ph.D., co-author of the study, explained to Bioscience Technology.
“CAM is a biological innovation that allows plants to thrive in water-limited environments such as arid deserts and areas with a pronounced seasonal drought,” Yang said.
He explained that the water-use efficiency of CAM plants is up to 20-fold higher than those that use a more common type of photosynthesis, known as C3 photosynthesis, and 10-fold higher than that of C4 plants.
Read more at Bioscience Technology
