Institute of Genetics,
Physiology and Plant Protection

Head: Nicolae BALAUR, Dr. Sci., professor, correspondent member of the ASM
Laboratory staff:  6, including  1 professor, 2 PhD in biology

Research directions:

Structural, functional and bio-energy expression of the production process of extensive and intensive types for plants with C₃ metabolism; energy of production processes in C₃ and C₄ plants; CO₂ exchange, structure and ultra-structure of the photosynthetic apparatus; photosynthesis and photorespiration energy efficiency in C₃ and C₄ plants; investigation of mechanisms that limit photorespiration and their use in biotechnology reconstruction of C₃ plants; investigation of C₄ syndrome formation in C₄ and C₃ plants and development of new biotechnologies for photosynthesis improvement, photorespiration reduction and essential yield increase in C₃ plants.

Relevant results:

Productivity increasing of C₃  in plants is manifested by the formation and development of an intensive type of the production process, which is characterized by the following peculiarities: components modifying CO₂ exchange; specific ratio of the photosynthesis intensity and of the photorespiration level; energy efficiency of respiration; specific level of energy dissipation; amplifying  meso-structured components of the photosynthetic apparatus; formations of structural elements in organs with photosynthetic activity similar to Kranz anatomy - characteristic only for C₄ plant leaf. Discovery of the phenomenon of apparent photorespiration absence in C₃  plants shoes, formation of the intensive type production process, which leads to increasing productivity, training development of C₄ syndrome in C₃ plants, ensuring increase of CO₂ intensity of assimilation in leaves with concurrent diminution of photorespiration or totally its reduction, similar to C₄ plants, the pathway characteristic only for C₄ photosynthesis type of all organs with photosynthetic activity.

After discovering the phenomenon of the apparent photorespiration absence in the reproductive organs of C₃ plants there was proposed and partially confirmed a new strategy for C₃ plants reconstruction, based on totipotency of the cells from photosynthetic active organs, lacking apparent photorespiration. By using biotechnology procedures there were induced somaclones of Triticale and Tr. durum with reduced photorespiration by 43% and essential yield increase, compared to check plants.

Business proposals:

The new biotechnology for C₃ plants reconstruction is in process of testing and evaluation.