History of Photosynthetic Research

This compilation outlines the chronological development of experimental research that laid the foundation for understanding photosynthesis. It begins with Jan Baptista van Helmont's 1644 willow tree experiment, which incorrectly attributed plant biomass gain solely to water, prompting further inquiry into plant nutrition. Charles Bonnet's 1754 illuminated leaf experiment demonstrated the role of light in gas exchange, while Joseph Priestley and Jan Ingenhousz showed that green plants purify air in sunlight. Jean Senebier and Nicolas-Theodore de Saussure established carbon dioxide and water as essential inputs for plant growth. In the 19th century, chlorophyll was chemically identified, Julius von Sachs used iodine staining to trace starch formation, and Hugo von Mohl discovered chloroplasts as the site of photosynthesis. The 20th century brought major advances: Emerson and Arnold quantified photosynthetic units, Hill demonstrated oxygen evolution from water, and Ruben and Kamen used isotopes to trace its origin. Arnon confirmed ATP synthesis, and Calvin mapped the dark reactions.