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Experimental plant research and the discovery of carbon dioxide-mediated global greening: a tribute to Wilhelm Pfeffer (1845–1920)

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Abstract

One century ago, the German chemist and botanist Wilhelm Pfeffer (1845–1920) died, shortly after finishing his last lecture at the University of Leipzig. Pfeffer was, together with Julius Sachs (1832–1897), the founder of modern plant physiology. In contrast to Sachs, Pfeffer’s work was exclusively based on the principles of physics and chemistry, so that with his publications, notably the ca. 1.600 pages-long Handbuch der Pflanzenphysiologie (2. ed., Vol. I/II; 1897/1904), experimental plant research was founded. Here we summarize Pfeffer’s life and work with special emphasis on his experiments on osmosis, plant growth in light vs. darkness, gravitropism, cell physiology, photosynthesis and leaf movements. We document that Pfeffer was the first to construct/establish constant temperature rooms (growth chambers) for seed plants. Moreover, he pioneered in outlining the carbon-cycle in the biosphere, and described the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2)-enhancement on assimilation and plant productivity. Wilhelm Pfeffer pointed out that, at ca. 0.03 vol% CO2 (in 1900), photosynthesis is sub-optimal. Accordingly, due to human activities, anthropogenic CO2 released into the atmosphere promotes plant growth and crop yield. We have reproduced Pfeffer’s classical experiments on the role of CO2 with respect to plant development, and document that exhaled air of a human (ca. 4 vol% CO2) strongly promotes growth. We conclude that Pfeffer not only acted as a key figure in the establishment of experimental plant physiology. He was also the discoverer of the phenomenon of CO2-mediated global greening and promotion of crop productivity, today known as the “CO2-fertilization-effect”. These topics are discussed with reference to climate change and the most recent findings in this area of applied plant research.

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Fig. 1

taken from the private collection of U. Kutschera)

Fig. 2

(adapted from Pfeffer, W.: Pflanzenphysiologie, Leipzig 1897/1904)

Fig. 3

adapted from Pfeffer, W.: Pflanzenphysiologie, Leipzig 1897/1904)

Fig. 4

adapted from Pfeffer, W.: Pflanzenphysiologie, Leipzig 1897/1904)

Fig. 5

adapted from Pfeffer, W.: Pflanzenphysiologie, Leipzig 1897/1904)

Fig. 6

adapted from Pfeffer, W.: Pflanzenphysiologie, Leipzig 1897/1904). These classical drawings are supplemented by a transmission electron micrograph of a chloroplast in the primary leaf of a light-grown rye seedling (c) (original micrograph of U. K.)

Fig. 7

adapted from Pfeffer, W.: Pflanzenphysiologie, Leipzig 1897/1904)

Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

(adapted from Tabor, A.: nasa.gov, Febr. 11, 2019)

Fig. 11

(adapted from Schönwiese 2019)

Fig. 12

(adapted from Pfeffer 1915)

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Abbreviations

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

O2 :

Oxygen

H2O:

Water

Face:

Free-air CO2 enrichment

C3:

Basic photosynthetic metabolism

NASA:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Acknowledgements

The first outline of this manuscript was discussed by the authors with our former mentor and colleague Prof. Winslow R. Briggs (1928–2019). We have written this version of the text with Winslow’s ideas and inspiration in mind, and dedicate this article to his memory. The cooperation of U. K. (University of Kassel, Germany, until March 2021) and R. K. is supported by the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation (Bonn, Germany; AvH Fellowship, Stanford 2014 to U. K.).

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  1. i-Cultiver, Inc., 404 Clipper Cove Way, San Francisco, CA, 94130, USA

    U. Kutschera & R. Khanna

  2. Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama St., Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    U. Kutschera & R. Khanna

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  1. U. Kutschera
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Correspondence to R. Khanna.

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Kutschera, U., Khanna, R. Experimental plant research and the discovery of carbon dioxide-mediated global greening: a tribute to Wilhelm Pfeffer (1845–1920). J. Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. 30, 407–420 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13562-020-00644-y

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