[FOCUS GREENSCALE] - Photosynthesis trials at the Villiers-le-Bâcle site.

This site is located at Arvalis in Villiers le Bacle.

https://lnkd.in/ekneGMPy

The GREENSCALE team is working with barley lines that have been altered in terms of chlorophyll biosynthesis. They are characterised by leaves that are paler green than our wild line called Tron.

The team is setting up a cultivation system that allows plants to grow in conditions that are limiting or saturated in nitrogen. Nitrogen plays a key role in plant development, as it is necessary for the synthesis of chlorophyll and enzymes that enable CO2 reduction. This is why the team is studying the behaviour of different strains under these conditions.

To characterise the photosynthesis of these different lines, GREENSCALE researchers use two devices: the MultispeQ (photosynQ) and a gas exchange measurement device (Licor 6800).

The MultispeQ (photosynQ) measures absorbance at certain wavelengths of interest as well as chlorophyll fluorescence (active fluorescence). This measurement allows us to determine the relative amounts of chlorophyll A and B, as well as chloroplast membrane activity (by measuring fluorescence).

The Licor 6800 measures H2O and CO2 fluxes at the leaf level under controlled environmental conditions (light, humidity, CO2 concentration). It allows us to precisely characterise photosynthetic capacity.