Plant species that perform C₃-C₄ intermediate photosynthesis represent evolutionary steps between the most extended C₃ plants and the highly efficient species that fix CO₂ through the C₄ pathway. Understanding how photosynthesis in intermediate plants responds to environmental changes, like light intensity, oxygen or CO₂ concentration, will help interpreting the evolution of C₄ plants and also implementing the C₄ system in C₃ crops to increase yield.

Our lab explores this topic from a physiological, biochemical and molecular perspective, using techniques such as gas exchange, protein immunolocalization, quantitative PCR or enzyme activity assays.