University of Western Australia (UWA) is repeating wheat experiments done
five decades ago to see if lower chlorophyll levels promote greater grain
yields. Adjunct Professor John Hamblin and team prepared for trials using
wheat varieties with very low chlorophyll.

Professor Hamblin offers four possible reasons why low-chlorophyll wheat
might be more productive. First, leaves naturally produce shade, depriving
competing plants of light. This is a useful adaptation in nature but a
disadvantage in crops, where growers want minimal competition between
neighbors. Second, harvesting excessive light damages chloroplasts, and
repairing damaged chloroplasts uses extra energy. Third, capturing excess
light causes plants to heat up. He said that a heated leaf needs more water
to survive. The fourth reason is that chloroplasts are full of all sorts of
goodies.


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