Rice plants adapt to sunlight damage by boosting protective pigments.
Rice plants grown in different light conditions were studied to see how they adapt to changes in sunlight. Plants grown in low light initially struggled when exposed to full sunlight, but they were able to adjust by using mechanisms like increasing certain pigments and enzymes. Plants grown in high light were better at handling the sunlight. After being exposed to sunlight, all plants showed signs of damage, but they were able to recover within a few days. This study is unique because it was done in natural sunlight, not artificial light like most studies. The results suggest that plants can adapt to different light levels by changing their pigment levels and using energy dissipation as a protection mechanism.