Image: Pexels|Alexandra Johansson.
Image: Pexels|Alexandra Johansson. Novel concept based on sunscreen-like molecules could boost crop production worldwide Researchers at the University of Amsterdam have developed a novel class of molecules capable of raising the temperature of plants. Application of such 'molecular heaters' allows crops to grow at lower environmental temperatures. This can extend the growth season, increase the availability of arable land, and facilitate speed breeding programs for new crop varieties. The molecular heaters were developed by Prof. Wybren Jan Buma of Molecular Photonics (Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences) and Dr Teun Munnik of Plant Cell Biology (Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences) in a cooperation with researchers from the universities of Warwick and Bristol. In experiments in the laboratory and greenhouses, the team has demonstrated that the molecular heating effect can indeed be used to warm plants and increase the temperature of leaves by more than one degree Celsius. Furthermore, it was established that application of these molecular heaters can lead to increased amounts of biomass.
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