A paler shade of green: engineering cellular chlorophyll content to enhance photosynthesis in crowded environments

• Published in: The New phytologist 2023-09, Vol.239 (5), p.1567-1583
• Main Authors: Cutolo, Edoardo Andrea, Guardini, Zeno, Dall'Osto, Luca, Bassi, Roberto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antennas; Availability; Biological activity; Breeding; Canopies; Canopy; canopy photosynthesis; Carotenoids; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll - metabolism; Chlorophylls; Chloroplasts; crop yield potential; Ecosystem; Energy transfer; Harvesting; Histology; leaf optical properties; Leaves; Light; Light distribution; light use efficiency; Limiting factors; Membranes; Monoculture; non‐photochemical quenching; Nutrient uptake; Nutrients; Optical density; pale green crops; Phenotypes; Photons; Photosynthesis; photosynthetic antenna; Photosynthetic pigments; Photosynthetically active radiation; Photosystems; Pigments; Plant Breeding; Plant cover; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Plants - metabolism; Proteins; Reaction centers; Thylakoid membranes; Understory
• ISSN: 0028-646X; 1469-8137
• DOI: 10.1111/nph.19064

Summary In natural ecosystems, plants compete for space, nutrients and light. The optically dense canopies limit the penetration of photosynthetically active radiation and light often becomes a growth‐limiting factor for the understory. The reduced availability of photons in the lower leaf layers is also a major constraint for yield potential in canopies of crop monocultures. Traditionally, crop breeding has selected traits related to plant architecture and nutrient assimilation rather than light use efficiency. Leaf optical density is primarily determined by tissue morphology and by the foliar concentration of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids). Most pigment molecules are bound to light‐harvesting antenna proteins in the chloroplast thylakoid membranes, where they serve photon capture and excitation energy transfer toward reaction centers of photosystems. Engineering the abundance and composition of antenna proteins has been suggested as a strategy to improve light distribution within canopies and reduce the gap between theoretical and field productivity. Since the assembly of the photosynthetic antennas relies on several coordinated biological processes, many genetic targets are available for modulating cellular chlorophyll levels. In this review, we outline the rationale behind the advantages of developing pale green phenotypes and describe possible approaches toward engineering light‐harvesting systems.