Key points from article :
Photosynthesis allows plants to convert CO2 and the sun’s energy into sugars.
Sometimes plant grabs oxygen instead of CO2, which requires correction by photorespiration.
Photorespiration uses a large amount of energy involving three compartments in the plant cell.
Scientists modified plants to use a shorter pathway.
Saved energy allowed tobacco plants to grow 40 per cent larger.
The work is part of Realising Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) project.
The study was published in Science journal.
