Photosynthesis is plants' food-making process, turning water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight into food for plants. The process will not be possible without any of those raw materials. But researchers have found a way to bypass the need for natural photosynthesis to produce food for plants.
Researchers from UC Riverside and the University of Delaware developed artificial photosynthesis that allows plants to grow even in total darkness. They believe it could help expand agriculture to areas that do not get enough sunlight and help feed future space explorers.
Growing Plants in the Dark Using Artificial Photosynthesis
According to a press release, researchers used a two-way electrocatalytic process to convert carbon dioxide, electricity, and water into acetate that plants consume to grow in the dark.
They combined it with solar panels to generate electricity to power the electrocatalytic process that will increase the conversion efficiency of sunlight into food up to 18 times more efficient than the natural process because it only uses 1% of energy found in sunlight.
Corresponding author Robert Jinkerson said that their study titled "A Hybrid Inorganic-Biological Artificial Photosynthesis System for Energy-Efficient Food Production," published in the journal Nature Food, demonstrates an approach that produces food that could break through the limits typically imposed by natural photosynthesis.
The team optimized the electrolyzer's output to support plants' growth. SciTech Daily reported that electrolyzers use electricity to convert raw materials into useful molecules and products. It produced high levels of acetate while also decreasing the amount of salt.
Feng Jiao, another corresponding author, said that the two-step tandem they developed was able to achieve a high selectivity towards acetate that cannot be produced using conventional carbon dioxide electrolysis. The experiments showed that a wide range of food-producing organisms could be grown directly in the dark using this technology, four times more energy-efficient than growing it under natural photosynthesis.
Plants, green algae, yeast, and fungal mycelium that produce mushrooms that typically rely on photosynthesis can now create their own food using the new technology.
Applications of the Two-Way Electrocatalytic Process
Researchers said that the technology has the potential to grow plants like cowpea, tomato, tobacco, rice, canola, and green pea. Those plants mentioned were found able to utilize carbon from acetate when cultivated in the dark. With some breeding and engineering, they believe it is possible to throw crops with acetate to boost crop yields.
Furthermore, New Atlas reported that liberating agriculture from complete dependence on the sun opens the door to new possibilities for growing food under difficult conditions due to climate change. That means growing crops in cities, unsuitable areas for agriculture, and even space for future explorers will be possible.
Jinkerson said that using artificial photosynthesis to help plants produce their food in total darkness could be a paradigm shift in how people consume food. It could increase efficiency in food production and lessen the adverse impact of agriculture on the environment.
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