Current Affairs Hub

CAM plants have the lowest transpiration coefficient because they open stomata only at night, minimizing water loss while fixing CO2 efficiently.

The Z-scheme illustrates electron flow from PSII through the cytochrome b6f complex to PSI, showing how electrons are elevated twice to reach NADP+ reduction.

The Casparian strip contains suberin (waxy substance) and lignin, which prevents apoplastic (cell wall) movement of water and minerals, forcing symplastic transport.

For every 3 turns of Calvin cycle (fixing 3 CO2), 9 ATP and 6 NADPH are used. This gives a ratio of 3:2 (ATP:NADPH).

Water photolysis occurs in the thylakoid lumen as part of Photosystem II, releasing O2, H+, and electrons that drive the electron transport chain.

PSII catalyzes photolysis of water at the oxygen-evolving complex, transferring electrons to plastoquinone in the thylakoid membrane.

Stomatal conductance (gs) is the rate of gas diffusion through stomata, dependent on aperture width and inversely on distance (g = A/L).

Photosystem I is an integral membrane protein complex with multiple transmembrane domains, making it hydrophobic. Rubisco is soluble, while ferredoxin and plastocyanin are soluble electron carriers. This biochemical distinction is important for understanding photosynthetic mechanisms.

Protons accumulate in the thylakoid lumen (pH 4-5) due to water photolysis and electron transport, creating a chemiosmotic gradient for ATP synthesis. The stroma maintains pH ~8. This proton gradient is essential for understanding light reactions.

C4 plants have higher photosynthetic efficiency (~60%) compared to C3 plants (~30%) because they concentrate CO2 around RuBisCO, reducing photorespiration. This adaptation makes them suited for hot climates - important agricultural knowledge.