Plant magnetoreception: quantum biology of life beyond the geomagnetic field.

The quantum biology of plant magnetoreception investigates the still unknown ways in which plants perceive and respond to the Earth's magnetic field at the quantum level. Plant magnetoreception has long captivated scientists, challenging traditional notions of plant growth and development. In terms of space exploration and the potential for space farming, understanding how plants sense and respond to variability in external magnetic fields becomes crucial. The study of plant magnetoperception has tangible implications both for advancing basic research as well as for agricultural practices, in mitigating environmental stressors, enhancing resilience in the face of climate change, and ultimately in space farming in extraterrestrial environments. Here, I will briefly summarize the state of the art of quantum biology with particular reference to quantum coherence in photosynthesis, magnetic sensing mechanisms, the interplay between cryptochromes and iron-sulfur complex assembly, models and simulations as well as ongoing interdisciplinary studies. I will also try to answer to the following key questions: what are the primary magnetosensors? How many different magnetic field sensing mechanisms are there? What are the primary magnetosensing mechanisms? Is there an ecological significance in magnetoreception? As we stand at the nexus of quantum biology, plant physiology, and ecological interconnectedness, researching into this subject promises not only that we will deepen our understanding of the natural world but also that we will get innovative solutions for sustainable coexistence of plants beyond the low Earth orbit and the geomagnetic field.