Scientists Decode How Plants Avoid Sunburn

[Odin2005]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/07/060720094251.htm

Too much sun -- for plants as well as people -- can be harmful to long-term health. But to avoid the botanical equivalent of "lobster tans," plants have developed an intricate internal defense mechanism called photoprotection, which acts like sunscreen to ward off the sun's harmful rays.

"We knew that biomolecules called carotenoids participate in this process of photoprotection, but the question has been, 'How does this work?' " says Iris Visoly-Fisher, a postdoctoral research associate in the Biodesign Institute at ASU.

Carotenoids act as "wires" to carry away the extra sunlight energy in the form of unwanted electrons, somehow wicking away the extra electrons across long distances from locations that could damage plant tissues and photosynthesis.

During photoprotection, the consensus school of thought was that carotenoids--the source of the orange pigments in carrots and Vitamin A -- become oxidized, or charged, losing an electron in the process.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Please delete the lines - it's making the text go way to the right

Thanks!

[kestrel91316]

2. The sun here is too intense. Photoprotection fails in our heat waves.

Just ask my poor burned-up beans and squash and tomatoes.

[Luna_Chick]

3. Whew, glad I read the release

After reading the headline, my mind was filled with all sorts of weird visuals..of plants stretched out in lawn chairs, underneath umbrellas, sipping foo-foo tropical drinks.

Think I need another Guinness.

[Odin2005]

4. LOL

:rofl: