Dr John Evans ‘The Physiology of Leaf Photosynthesis’

John, a chief investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Transitional Photosynthesis, will describe how it has been possible to link photosynthetic properties to underlying biochemical and structural elements resulting in the application of increasing photosynthesis by crop plants to assist in raising yield potential.

Abstract

The primary function of leaves is photosynthesis.  This process involves several organelles within the cell and is influenced by leaf anatomy.  By combining many different techniques, it has been possible to link photosynthetic properties obtained from observing leaves to the underlying biochemical and structural elements.  This understanding is now being applied towards increasing photosynthesis by crop plants to assist in raising yield potential.

Biography

John Evans gained his PhD in 1984 (ANU) under the supervision of Professor Graham Farquhar.  After post-doctoral fellowships in Cambridge (UK) at the Plant Breeding Institute and CSIRO Plant Industry (Canberra), he won a Queen Elizabeth II fellowship and returned to the ANU in 1988.  He was deputy CEO-Science for the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting (2003-2006), Head of the Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology (2014-2016) and is currently a chief investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis.  He was elected to the Australian Academy of Science in 2013 in recognition of his research on photosynthesis.