Manipulation of Photosynthetic Metabolism

Photosynthesis, as the basic process leading to biomass accumulation, is intrinsically limited by the performance of the photosynthetic apparatus under different environmental conditions. Potentially, substantial increases in crop yield and improved efficiency of production could be achieved by increasing leaf photosynthetic rates. An essential prerequisite to improving the efficiency of photosynthesis is an understanding of the individual steps involved, their regulation, and interactions with the external environment. Once potential targets have been identified, techniques enabling stable genetic transformation of important crop plants are available to make many of the specific changes we may require.