Reimagining Photosynthesis for Efficiency

Feb 26, 2026

By Amanda Kerr

We’re all familiar with how plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to create their own food through photosynthesis. But what if we could make that process more efficient to improve crop yields or biofuel production?

That’s what NC State University researcher Nathan Ennist hopes to do through his work on developing proteins that can perform artificial photosynthesis. Ennist, an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, joined the faculty in 2025, bringing an interdisciplinary approach to his cutting-edge research that blends the study of light with the biochemistry of proteins.

We caught up with Ennist to learn about his innovative research and how developing a process for artificial photosynthesis could eventually open the door to new possibilities in agriculture.

What is the focus of your research?

I’m designing proteins that combine chlorophyll molecules, iron sulfur clusters, and other pigments and electron transfer co-factors to convert light into chemical energy. And then I want to put those designed proteins into plants or photosynthetic bacteria to try to improve biofuel production, nitrogen fixation or food crop production.

Source : ncsu.edu

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.