Improving Rubisco

Rubisco regulation is currently one of the most inefficient parts of the photosynthetic process. Through gene editing, the RIPE team aims to develop efficient Rubisco regulation that increases cowpea and soybean yields in current and future climates. Due to rising temperatures around the world, the genetics being developed for future food crops must work at higher temperatures for longer periods of time than today's crops. A significant inefficiency in today's crops is the plants' reaction time to changing light conditions. Crop leaves experience many fluctuations in light throughout each day, due to intermittent clouds, overlying leaves, and the sun's daily passage across the sky. In today's densely planted crops, these fluctuations are the norm. Lower efficiency of photosynthesis due to slow adjustment to light changes are estimated to cost up to 40 percent of potential productivity. Improving Rubisco regulation is a strategy that can improve food crops today and for the future.

  • Watch the video below to learn more about this work and the importance of partnering with cowpea breeders and producers from our team members at Lancaster University.
  • Check out the Lancaster photosynthesis team's website for their latest news and updates. 

Caty Ashton
Doug Orr
Rhiannon Page
Diwakar
A field of two foot tall sorghum plants at sunset. The sky has streaks of pink and blue.

Rubisco's role in global food security

In an invited Tansley Review, RIPE researchers discuss strategies to increase Rubisco content as part of short- and long-term efforts to meet the growing global food demand.

2024 Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers in yellow text on a grey background. Three pictures of scientists (one man, two women) are in the middle of the page with the RIPE project logo at the bottom.

Three RIPE researchers recognized on 2024 ‘Highly Cited’ list

RIPE’s Steve Long, Tracy Lawson, and Elizabete Carmo-Silva were all selected to this year’s Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers list, meaning they rank in the top 1% of cited scientists in their fields in the last decade.

An image of a woman smiling holding a red circle next to a plant and a computer monitor.

Researchers adopt approach for more ethical plant research

RIPE researchers at Lancaster University have adopted a technique rarely used in plant science to generate antibodies without sacrificing any animals. The work was detailed in a chapter of the recently released book, Photosynthesis: Methods and Protocols.

Cowpea thumbnail

Fickle sunshine slows down Rubisco and limits photosynthetic productivity of crops

Researchers from Lancaster University are working to improve the sustainable productivity of key crops in sub-Saharan Africa have discovered a new imperfection in the way Rubisco functions in cowpea and believe this imperfection is likely shared with other crops.

Three researchers pose next to wheat in a glasshouse.

Scientists take a step closer to heat-tolerant wheat

Researchers found out how to trigger photosynthesis more efficiently at higher temperatures in wheat.

soybeans

Hacking evolution, screening technique may improve most widespread enzyme

Scientists have developed tools to simulate millions of years of evolution in days to help plants adapt to changing conditions.