Exploring space
For some, the outer reaches of space are far-flung galaxies, for others, the unknowns are closer to home. Exploring space was the topic of an interesting paper published last year by Prusinkiewicz et al (2007) in the journal Science. The "space" in this study was not outer space but so-called "morphospace," and the question is whether plants and "Mother Nature" have explored and now occupy all morphospace.
What is morphospace? Morphospace relates to morphology or plant architecture, and morphospace is all of the plant architectural patterns that are theoretically possible.
To put the question then in simpler terms -- has Mother Nature already tried out everything in the course of plant evolution? Prusinkiewicz's answer is "No!"
The example in this study centered on plant flower stalk branching patterns. Some branching patterns are found in nature and some are not. According to the authors, present day branching patterns represent the interplay between plant development and the environment.
Why is this interesting? If that same concept applies to other plant traits, particularly those that are useful, then maybe nature has not yet presented us with all the possibilities.
As we place more demands on our crops for food and fuel, are we choosing the appropriate plants and are they equipped with the best traits for our purposes? Perhaps, crops with wholly different plant architecture or plant chemical traits would better suit our needs.
Imagine a new kind of corn or soybean plant that better captures sunlight and stores its energy in more energetic forms.
Our challenge as plant scientists is to go where no man (or woman) has gone before, to discover the unexplored space of plant architecture and chemistry that will deliver more food, feed and fuel.
