Question

A scientist requests a research grant to develop a plant that does not undergo photorespiration. He claims that such a plant would help reduce world hunger. Discuss if this might be a project worth funding with a research grant and justify your answer.

Answer 1

Answer:

This project is feasible because plants that don't have photorespiration are photosynthetically more efficient and have higher productivity compared to plants that undergo photorespiration  

Explanation:

C4 plants are photosynthetically more efficient compared to C3 plants because these plants (C4) don't have photorespiration, which is a process that decreases the photosynthetic activity. Photorespiration is the process by which the Rubisco enzyme, which is involved in the first step of carbon fixation, adds oxygen to Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP), an organic compound involved in photosynthesis. This process (photorespiration) is known to waste energy generated by photosynthesis, thereby making photosynthesis less efficient. It is for that reason that C4 plants have high productivity. Some examples of C4 economically important crops include maize, sorghum, sugarcane, etc.