Blazing a trail towards higher photosynthetic efficiency: a multi-dimensional study of Hirschfeldia incana

Summary

Not all plants are equally efficient when it comes to their photosynthesis. My PhD thesis presents a multi-dimensional study on a lesser-known plant that is particularly efficient in photosynthesis, Hirschfeldia incana. To understand the high efficiency of H. incana’s photosynthesis, I first compare the genetic makeup, or genome, of H. incana to that of related plant species showing lower photosynthetic efficiency. I then describe how the expression of H. incana’s genes compares to that of related species when plants are grown under photosynthesis-challenging conditions. After reporting numerous genes and gene expression trends unique to H. incana, I look at a wider set of plant species related to H. incana to describe a number of leaf characteristics potentially contributing to photosynthetic efficiency. This thorough description of a previously unknown species characterised by high photosynthetic efficiency could provide a foundation for future efforts aimed at increasing plant productivity by means of increased photosynthesis.