CBV UNAB Research Reveals How the Pata de Guanaco Survives the Driest Desert on Earth

In the heart of the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on the planet, the Pata de Guanaco (Cistanthe longiscapa) bursts into vibrant fuchsia, signaling the arrival of spring and transforming the barren landscape. Its ability to thrive under such extreme conditions has attracted the attention of researchers at UNAB, who are working to understand the mechanisms that allow it to succeed where almost no other plant can survive.

The team, led by Dr. Ariel Orellana, director of the UNAB Plant Biotechnology Center (CBV UNAB), discovered that this species has an impressive degree of physiological plasticity. It can adjust its metabolism depending on how much water is available.

“Plants are the foundation of the food chain because they capture carbon from atmospheric CO₂ through microscopic structures on their leaves called stomata. Under normal conditions, these open during the day to allow CO₂ to enter and water vapor to escape, then close at night,” explains Dr. Orellana.

When drought conditions intensify, the Pata de Guanaco makes a striking evolutionary shift. It closes its stomata during the day and opens them at night, drastically reducing water loss while continuing to photosynthesize. “This allows it to grow abundantly and successfully, even in very harsh environments,” he adds.

Pata de Guanaco: Desert Resilience for the Agriculture of Tomorrow

Research by the CBV UNAB team, published in the journal Plant Physiology, shows that the plant adjusts its behavior based on the degree of aridity and can even revert its metabolism when water becomes available again. “If we bring it into the lab and water it normally, it behaves like most C3 photosynthesis plants. This means it has extraordinary flexibility,” Dr. Orellana explains.

This adaptive capability not only reveals the Pata de Guanaco’s survival strategy but could also guide the development of more water-efficient crops. “The information we’re gathering may eventually help us develop crop species that require less water, using tools such as gene editing or traditional breeding techniques,” he noted.

To get there, scientists will need to conduct laboratory experiments, greenhouse trials, and field testing. It may take between five and ten years before practical applications for agriculture are ready.

“We have already sequenced the full genome of the Pata de Guanaco and are making progress in understanding the genes involved in its resilience. This is a major step toward developing crops better suited for the climate of the future,” said Dr. Orellana.

With studies like this, UNAB reaffirms its commitment to science for sustainability, using plant biotechnology to help tackle one of today’s most urgent challenges: ensuring food production in a world facing increasing water scarcity.