According to the United Nations, food production will need to double by 2050 to meet the needs of a growing global population. Moreover, there is an increasing pressure on the Planet’s resources, due to the expansion of urban areas and climate change impacts.
Funded by the EU and with the participation of ITQB NOVA, the Photoboost project will develop strategies to increase food production efficiency, improving photosynthetic performance and productivity of two essential C3 crops: potato and rice. These are plants, whose growth is benefited by the increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
An increase in photosynthetic efficiency by at least 20 to 25% is expected, which means that more food can be produced on less land. Currently, 15% increase in photosynthetic performance has already achieved.