Abstract
Forages and grassland agriculture play an important role in the economy of a nation and worldwide. Photosynthesis affects plant growth and productivity, forage quality, and stand persistence. In the presence of water and carbon dioxide (CO2), plants can convert solar energy into usable chemical energy through a series of reactions, collectively called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis forms the basis of life on Earth. Carbon fixation serves as the primary source of carbon for soil micro and macro organisms and higher animals including humans. Photosynthesis provides not only the needed carbon but also the oxygen produced as a result of plant photosynthesis, which is vital to our survival on this planet. Forage plants, just like other plants, fix the necessary carbon that serves as food sources for both wild-life and livestock. Humans are the ultimate beneficiaries of photosynthesis. From the oxygen we breathe to the clothes we wear, the steak we enjoy, and the milk we drink, all are products indirectly obtained from the photosynthesis of plants, including forages. Because of the critical function that photosynthesis has in our existence on this planet, this subject has received much attention.