New research from Michigan State University reveals that photorespiration — long considered a wasteful process — is essential for producing a crucial nutrient for preventing birth defects.

For the first time, scientists have measured how much carbon flows through photorespiration to make folates, a class of compounds that includes vitamin B9 — known for its importance as a prenatal vitamin. According to the study, led by MSU researcher Berkley Walker, about 6 percent of the carbon absorbed by plants is used to make folates. That number plummets by fivefold when photorespiration is suppressed.

These findings, published in Nature Plants, could help scientists engineer plants to boost production of the nutrient important for human health. They also shed light on how a high-carbon dioxide world caused by climate change could make plants less nutritious.

“In cultures where the bulk of their calories come from rice, it’s a pretty big deal if that rice is less nutritious,” said Walker, an associate professor in the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory and the Department of Plant Biology. “The way plants respond to changing climates is complicated. Understanding how they might adapt can help us plan better for the future.”