Researchers have developed an exciting new tool to observe how plants breathe. This innovation could greatly help scientists understand which genetic traits make crops better suited to withstand climate change.
Plants breathe through tiny pores on their leaves called stomata, which regulate the intake of carbon dioxide and the release of oxygen and water vapor. These stomata open and close thanks to specialized cells surrounding them. But despite decades of research, scientists still struggle to connect the function of these pores with their quantity, size, and behavior.
Andrew Leakey, a plant biologist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, emphasizes the importance of understanding stomata. He and others are keen to find ways, using breeding or biotechnology, to improve how these pores function, particularly in crops that require less water.
To enhance this understanding, researchers created the Stomata In-Sight tool. This device combines a microscope, a gas exchange system, and machine-learning technology. It can measure the collective activity of thousands of stomata as they interact with gases. Leakey highlighted that the tool gives insights into how stomata respond to different conditions like temperature and moisture.
In practice, small leaf samples go into a climate-controlled chamber linked to the gas exchange system. Researchers manipulate the internal environment and observe the stomatal responses using a microscope and machine-learning analysis, which speeds up the process of identifying stomata in images.
Developing this tool wasn’t easy; it took the team around five years and various prototypes to perfect it. One of the main challenges was eliminating tiny vibrations that could blur images. Leakey and his team have tested the Stomata In-Sight tool on crops like maize and have used its findings to genetically engineer sorghum, enabling the plant to use less water by manipulating the distribution of its stomata.
However, not everyone is convinced of its revolutionary potential. Alistair Hetherington, an emeritus professor at the University of Bristol, points out that many effective techniques for studying stomata already exist. He believes researchers may continue to rely on these established methods rather than fully embrace new tools.
Despite the skepticism, Leakey is eager to enhance the Stomata In-Sight tool to make it more efficient. Observing stomata can be time-consuming, requiring the measurement of multiple stomata to ensure accuracy. This labor-intensive process could be streamlined with advances in robotics and artificial intelligence. There’s a growing interest in how these technologies can accelerate biological research, and the scientific community is hopeful about the possibilities they may bring.
As we face ongoing climate change, understanding how plants adapt is more crucial than ever. Innovations like the Stomata In-Sight tool could offer new pathways for developing resilient crops and ensuring food security in an uncertain future.
