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Home >Science >AQAAdditionalScience(Pre2011) >Plants >Plants

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Factorslimitingphotosynthesis
Threefactorscanlimitthespeedofphotosynthesislightintensity,carbondioxide
concentrationandtemperature.
Withoutenoughlight,aplantcannot
photosynthesiseveryquickly,evenifthereis
plentyofwaterandcarbondioxide.Increasing
thelightintensitywillboostthespeedof
photosynthesis.

Lightintensity

Sometimesphotosynthesisislimitedbythe
concentrationofcarbondioxideintheair.Even
ifthereisplentyoflight,aplantcannot
photosynthesiseifthereisinsufficientcarbon
dioxide.

Carbondioxideconcentration

Ifitgetstoocold,therateofphotosynthesiswill
decrease.Plantscannotphotosynthesiseifit
getstoohot.
Ifyouplottherateofphotosynthesisagainst
thelevelsofthesethreelimitingfactors,youget
graphsliketheonesabove.
Inpractice,anyoneofthesefactorscouldlimit
therateofphotosynthesis.

Temperature

Maximisinggrowth
Farmerscanusetheirknowledgeoftheselimitingfactorstoincreasecropgrowthin
greenhouses.Theymayuseartificiallightsothatphotosynthesiscancontinue
beyonddaylighthours,orinahigherthannormallightintensity.Theuseofparaffin
lampsinsideagreenhouseincreasestherateofphotosynthesisbecausetheburning
paraffinproducescarbondioxide,andheattoo.
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