🌿 A new tool observes plant respiration in real time
Follow us on Google News (click on ☆)
A team from the University of Illinois has created a game-changing tool. The 'Stomata In-Sight' system combines several technologies to visualize the movements of stomata, these small openings on leaves, while measuring gas exchange with unprecedented precision.
Confocal microscope image of an open stoma of Zea mays, showing cellular details.
Credit: Plant Physiology
Stomata, whose name means 'mouths' in Greek, are essential for photosynthesis. They open to let in CO2, but this leads to water evaporation. Understanding their behavior is important for improving crop efficiency, especially in a changing climate. These microscopic structures act as natural regulators, adjusting their opening according to needs.
Until now, observation methods were limited. Leaf imprints only showed a frozen moment, and conventional microscopes did not allow for environmental control. However, stomata react quickly to light, temperature, and humidity, which made studying their dynamics in real conditions difficult.
The new system integrates live confocal microscopy, gas sensors, and an environmental chamber. Thus, researchers can see how stomata respond to variations, under realistic conditions, offering a complete view of the process. This approach combines detailed imaging and precise measurements for the first time.
This advance opens up prospects for agriculture. By identifying the genetic traits that optimize stomatal opening, we could develop more water-efficient plants, which could prove vital during drought periods. This helps design crops adapted to limited resources, with implications for food security.
The potential applications extend beyond crops. This technology allows for a better understanding of ecosystem resilience in the face of environmental changes, by providing data to model plant responses.