Scientists are using advanced X-ray imaging to map the interior structure of leaves as they work to develop crop varieties that conserve water during periods of heat and humidity. The technique, powered by a particle collider beamline at Argonne National Laboratory, provides detailed schematics of leaf architecture that researchers say will help them breed hardier plants.
The effort aims to reduce what researchers call "crop sweat"—the water vapor plants release through their leaves—thereby limiting drought stress during dry conditions. By understanding exactly how air moves through the leaf's ventilation system, scientists hope to refine approaches to creating crop plants with improved internal structures.
