A research team led by Washington State University has created a computer model to understand how plants store energy in the thylakoid membrane, a key structure to photosynthesis in plant leaves.
The team confirmed the accuracy of the mathematical model with lab experiments. Their work was recently published in the journal Nature Plants. Co-authors on the study include Hans-Henning Kunz, assistant professor of biological sciences at WSU.
![Hans Henning-Kunz.](https://wpcdn.web.wsu.edu/wp-cas/uploads/sites/648/2021/07/Hans-Henning-Kunz.jpg)
Figuring out how plants make adjustments to changes in environmental conditions could improve understanding of how they perform in the field and help develop new plants that can withstand rising temperatures from climate change.
The findings could have broad implications and benefits in years to come, as the model is integrated with others to learn more about how exactly photosynthesis works.