Increase Photosynthesis

PETROSS engineered crops to photosynthesize more efficiently to boost biomass yields.

Through photosynthesis, plants harness energy from the sun to produce the oil and sugar needed for biofuel production. Photosynthetic improvements directly translate to higher yields. A digital design platform identified ways for PETROSS to increase photosynthesis as much as 50% by improving photosynthetic pathways and engineering the crop canopy to better utilize the sun’s light.

At the end of this project, PETROSS achieved a 20% increase in photosynthetic efficiency and yield. Under cool conditions, our lines have an even greater efficiency advantage—67% more on average.

Graph Field Trial


Saroj Parajuli
Donald Ort
Steve Long
Ratna Karan
Tom Clemente
Fredy Altpeter