Experiments have been aimed at identifying two genes whose action is considered important in the continued function of cotton leaf chloroplast photosystem reaction II centers under environmental stress. Once these genes are identified, sequenced and cloned, they can be used to add extra copies to the cotton genome via transformation techniques. Because these gene products act to stabilize the PSII complex, as well as elicit a general rise in mRNA transcripts, the anticipated result of additional functional copies would be a net improvement in the environmental homeostasis of the cotton plant.