Mineral-enhanced biological photosynthesis: New breakthroughs in theory and application

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2024.12.122

Abstract

Abstract:

Photosynthesis is the primary determinant of crop yield, with the current energy conversion efficiency of crop photosynthesis being only about 2%, which significantly limits the yield of grain and vegetable crops. Earth Science Frontiers is dedicated to advancing global scientific and technological frontiers and addressing primary economic concerns, having reported on a series of our scientific research findings over nearly three decades. Recently, Earth Science Frontiers has continuously been reporting on groundbreaking research on mineral-enhanced biological photosynthesis and its breakthrough applications in solving the international challenge of improving crop yield and quality in agriculture. Our latest studies have further confirmed that the manganese clusters (Mn₄CaO₅) in plant chloroplasts have an evolutionary and genetic relationship with birnessite in the mineral membrane on the surface of soils and rocks, and both exhibit similar functions in photocatalytic water splitting. The infrared emission spectra of minerals can affect the function of water and promote the function of photocatalytic water splitting. Classical plant photosynthesis is confined to the absorption and conversion of sunlight by manganese clusters in chloroplasts. In contrast, mineral-based non-classical photosynthesis outside of chloroplasts can expand the utilization range of the solar spectrum through functionalized water; that is, by altering the functionality of irrigation water, the efficiency of solar energy conversion can be improved. This has opened up a new way to improve the efficiency of plant photosynthesis. Based on this theory, we have proposed the innovative “mineral-water-photosynthesis” technology, which has achieved a 20%-50% increase in crop yields in field trials, significantly enhancing the yield and quality of various crops. This represents a pioneering example of how natural minerals can influence water functionality to promote biological photosynthesis.

Key words: non-classical mineral photosynthesis, manganese clusters in mineral membrane, manganese clusters in chloroplasts, functional irrigation water, photosynthetic efficiency

CLC Number:

P574
Q945.11

LU Anhuai, DU Yifei, FANG Qian, DING Hongrui, LI Yan. Mineral-enhanced biological photosynthesis: New breakthroughs in theory and application[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2025, 32(1): 466-469.

Figures/Tables 3

Fig.1 Manganese clusters with similar chemical composition and crystal structure and function exist in mineral membrane and chloroplast of plant

Fig.2 Minerals affect water molecule properties through emitting infrared light to expand the range of sunlight spectrum utilization in photosynthesis

Table 1 Field experiment results of mineral-enhanced biological photosynthesis

试验作物名称	试验作物品种	试验地点	灌溉时期	灌溉次数/次	实验组亩产量/kg	增产率/%
甘薯	烟薯25号	山东	全生育期	3	5 229.00	109.53
花生	金冠1号	山东	全生育期	3	422.53	21.92
甘蔗	桂糖1589	广西	全生育期	3	7 430.00	45.69
小麦	西宛151	河南	灌浆期	2	672.56	24.74
水稻	川优617	四川	灌浆期	5	849.18	33.04

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