C3 PhotosynthesisPlants which use only the Calvin cycle for fixing the carbon dioxide from the air are known as C3 plants. In the first step of the cycle CO2 reacts with RuBP to produce two 3-carbon molecules of 3-phosphoglyceric acid (3-PGA). This is the origin of the designation C3 or C3 in the literature for the cycle and for the plants that use this cycle. About 85% of plant species are C3 plants. They include the cereal grains: wheat, rice, barley, oats. Peanuts, cotton, sugar beets, tobacco, spinach, soybeans, and most trees are C3 plants. Most lawn grasses such as rye and fescue are C3 plants.
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Index Photosynthesis Concepts Reference Moore, et al. Ch 7 | ||
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C4 PhotosynthesisSugarcane is a champion at photosynthesis under the right conditions and is a prime example of a C4 plant, one which uses C4 photosynthesis.
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Index Photosynthesis Concepts Reference Moore, et al. Ch 7 | ||
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C3-C4 Intermediate Photosynthesis
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Index Photosynthesis Concepts Reference Moore, et al. Ch 7 | ||
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Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM)
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Index Photosynthesis Concepts Reference Moore, et al. Ch 7 | ||
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