research that “collects” solar energy
Green proteins to collect light and solar energy: the Veronese research will be financed with 2.5 million euros.
Being able to exploit everything the power of solar energy, both as a source of food and biofuels, is the aim of the research project “GrinSun – harvesting light for life. Green proteins at the interface between solar energy and the biosphere “coordinator from Roberto Bassi, professor of plant physiology in the biotechnology department of the University of Verona, funded by the European Union, through an ERC Advanced Grant, with 2.5 million euros.
“Autotrophic organisms represent more than 80% of the living mass on the planet – explains Bassi –. Nevertheless, thehe effectiveness with which plants and algae transform light energy into biomass is much lower than is believed. Sunlight is available in abundance, but its characteristics make its use problematic: its intensity is extremely variable, depending on the time of day, latitude, and season, making the supply of energy either limiting for growth or, conversely, excessive.
despite the green revolution of genetics in the last century improved crop productivity, has so far been considered too complex to be able to change it with full knowledge of the facts. Hence, the photosynthetic efficiency remained the main unchanged in current cultivated plants despite being the component of plant productivity ”.
More productive plants that will lower the temperature of the planet.
During evolution, the genes that code for green proteins have diversified to adapt to the conditions of different environments and allow plants and algae to survive adverse conditions and reproduce. This untapped reserve of genetic biodiversity can be explored in order to engineer crops for both productivity and environmental sustainability. And this is precisely the purpose of the GrInSun project, which aims to understand the functioning of green proteins that collect the sun’s energy and make it usable for life on earth.
“This will happen through different strategies: first it will come identifies the function of each of the green proteins so that they can be genetically assorted to realize cultivated plants more productive and resistant to adverse environmental conditions. In addition to being more productive, such plants will also be able to lower the temperature of the planet. Indeed, the new plants will thus be produced in a light green color. A lighter surface on the planet will reflect more sunlight. Agricultural crops represent about 30% of the land and absorb a large amount of light energy which for 95% is dissipated in heat. Light green plants will give off less heat and lower the earth’s temperature without losing productivity“.
A single loan to complete the project.
“Lefficiency of these proteins in collecting photons and regulating energy transfer“Bassi continues, “it is essential for plant growth, both spontaneous and cultivated. Searches in laboratories of the University of Verona in recent years they have shown that each of the green proteins contributes specifically to the photosynthetic process and is therefore it is possible to improve plant efficiency and resistance in specific environmental conditions “.
“The one obtained – concludes Bassi – is substantial European funding recognizing our excellence in basic and applied research e I will allow for five years to the research team trained at the University of Verona in enhance concepts and intuitions developed over years of work“. There are several possible future scenarios that will arise from these studies. Among these, cThe will be varieties of cultivated plants and unicellular algae with a higher yield in the production of food and biological fuels. Also, proteins can be used in solar panels that will become recyclable.