International project aims to develop water

In the UK, a $13.76 million (£8.6million) project funded by the US Department of Energy, and managed by the Institute of Integrative Biology, is exploring drought-tolerant desert plant photosynthetic mechanisms for integration into poplar trees. The desert plant crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is a highly water-use efficient form of photosynthesis found in agaves, cacti and succulents. Researchers are hoping to modify biofuel crops to increase their water efficiency and ability to grow on marginal land.