Advantages and disadvantages of C4 plant photosynthesis:

C4 photosynthesis:
C4 photosynthesis is the important metabolic pathway for the plant carbon fixation. “It is the
type of photosynthesis in which carbon dioxide from atmosphere is first incorporated into the 4
carbon intermediate and then shuttled into the particular internal cells”, and so called as C4
photosynthesis. It is considered to be more efficient photosynthetic process then C3
photosynthesis. This is due to the biochemical and anatomical adaptation of carbon molecule
specifically in non-optimal conditions.

In this c4 pathway, first oxaloacetate is converted into four carbon molecule named malate,
which is then shuttled into specialized cells within the leaf called bundle sheath cells. In these
cells malate is converted into pyruvate, and goes back into the mesophyll cells, where it is
converted back into the PEP with the consumption of one ATP molecule.

C4 photosynthesis produces the higher concentration of carbon, and allows the C4 plants more
adaptive in surviving habitats with low light and water. This process leads to more efficient
photosynthesis in hot climates and facilitates the dominance of open landscape of low-to-mid
latitude.

C4 plants:
C4 plants use the C4 photosynthesis pathway to reduce the rate of photorespiration so that they
can survive in dry, rough and drought conditions of soil. There are almost 8100 known species of
such plants. These include important crops like maize, sorghum and sugarcane, and also include
some weeds as well as flowering plants which count for the 3% of flowering plants species. C4
plants are identified by the higher C12 and C13 isotopes ratio and compared with C3 plant
species.

Advantages of C4 pathway:
C4 pathway is actually the adaptation of C3 photosynthesis that allows the plants to overcome
the increase rate of photorespiration. It improves the efficiency of pathway and lowers the loss of
water contents in dry and hot environments. C4 plants species generally survive in warmer
environmental conditions. Plants exhibiting the C4 photosynthesis can shut their stomata for a
longer period to avoid the transpiration of water.

The advantage of C4 photosynthesis that comes from two-stage process is that the active
pumping of carbon dioxide into the

 Photorespiration:
Process in which plants undergoes the incorporation of Oxygen through Rubisco,
instead of Carbon dioxide to the growing sugar. In condition where the photosynthesis is
going fast at high temperature, high level of light, or both there is so much Oxygen
becomes available, which is problem worthy. To overcome this phenomenon C4 plants
maintains high concentration of CO2 in relevant portion of the leaf which is the bundle
sheath.
Actually this process inhibits the Rubisco Oxygenase activity of Rubisco and shuts down
the photorespiration. Thus enables the plant to capture the Carbon dioxide into the bundle
sheath and blocking of Oxygen produce an environment with 10-120x as much carbon
dioxide available to Calvin cycle and Rubisco tends to be optimally utilized. The high
CO2 concentration and the absence of O2 imply that the system never experiences the
detractive effect of photorespiration.
 Water loss:
Plants undergo the exchange of gasses, Carbon dioxide and Oxygen with their
environment through specialized structures called as stomata. When these stomata are
open Carbon dioxide can diffuse in to be used in photosynthesis and Oxygen, can diffuse
 out. However, during the open stomata, plants also experience the loss of water due to
transpiration. This situation is multiplied in hot and dry climates. Plants that perform C4
photosynthesis can keep their stomata close for the longer time period and thus inhibiting
the photorespiration. They become more efficient in incorporation of Carbon dioxide.

Disadvantages of C4 photosynthesis:
The drawback of the C4 photosynthesis is

 The extra energy in the form of ATP that is used to pump the 4-carbon acids to the
bundle sheath cell and pumping of 3-carbon compound back to the mesophyll cells for
the conversion of PEP. Due to this loss of system plants adopt the C3 pathway to survive,
when there is lot of water and sun.
 The C4 plants make some energy back so that Rubisco is optimally utilized and plant has
to spend more energy.
 C4 plants are sensitive to cold therefore evolve to be warm season plants
 Contain more bundle sheath cells which contain high fiber concentration. Less mesophyll
cells having low level of fiber. So C4 plants are more fibrous then C3 plants.
 Photosynthesis relies on Rubisco to fix the CO2, so the deficiency of concentration of
Rubisco and its activity may slow down the process.
Factors affecting the C4 photosynthesis:
Following are the factors that affect the process of photosynthesis in C4 plants;

1. Rubisco concentration: As the whole process depends on the Rubisco to fix the carbon
dioxide, so its concentration really affects the speed of photosynthetic process in C4
plants.
2. Carbon dioxide concentration: carbon dioxide’s sufficient concentration is crucial for
plants survival. It may be reduced due to the occurrence of uneven bundle sheath cells
outline in plants species that reduces the carbon dioxide permeability.
3. Protoplasm hydration; plant survival is crucially depends upon the level of hydration
that protoplasm can tolerate without undergoing the irreversible injury.
4. Temperature; C4 plants have adaptation to survive in warm temperatures. Low
temperature can affect their survival.
5. Minerals; mineral nutrients affects the several steps of carbon fixation in C4 plants, such
as Na is required in the conversion of pyruvate into PEP in mesophyll chloroplast. Na
deficiency can cause the low level of PEP in C4 plants.

References:

 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221690536
 https://www.intechopen.com/books/abiotic-stress-in-plants-mechanisms-and-
adaptations/c4-plants-adaptation-to-high-levels-of-co2-and-to-drought-
environments#B59
 https://books.google.com.pk/books?
id=XF_kL1hrs3MC&pg=PA305&lpg=PA305&dq=protoplasm+hydration+in+c4+plants
&source=bl&ots=_Z4v3uwZzS&sig=ACfU3U0DzSzyaW4MuYvJf1Yz4eL8y4cbJw&hl
=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjpoOS2vY3qAhWEyKQKHYd4BowQ6AEwDHoECA0QA
Q
 http://bio1510.biology.gatech.edu/module-3-molecules-membranes-and-metabolism/10-
c4-plants/
 https://sciencing.com/advantage-photosynthesis-5268918.html
 http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Biology/phoc.html#:~:text=The%20drawback
%20to%20C4%20photosynthesis,cell%20for%20conversion%20to%20PEP.&text=say
%20that%20only%20about%200.4,of%20plants%20are%20C4%20plants.