Farms.com Home   News

Low Sunlight Slows Down Rubisco, Limits Photosynthetic Productivity of Crops

Low Sunlight Slows Down Rubisco, Limits Photosynthetic Productivity of Crops

Researchers from Lancaster University working on key crops in sub-Saharan Africa have discovered an imperfection in a critical enzyme within cowpea and believe this imperfection is also present in other crops.

In the study published in Nature Plants, Professor Carmo-Silva and Lancaster University Senior Research Associate Dr. Sam Taylor found that as cowpea leaves go into the shade, the activity of the enzyme Rubisco drops more rapidly than was previously thought. The researchers used a high-throughput biochemical method to show that in cowpea leaves left in shade for as little as five minutes, Rubisco activity bottoms out, so even brief shading of leaves will lower the plant's photosynthetic productivity.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.