Enhancement of Plant Photosynthetic Efficiency
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Photochemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023)
Special Issue Editor
Interests: plant ecophysiology; biotic stress; abiotic stress; photosynthesis; antioxidative mechanisms; photoprotective mechanisms; mineral nutrition; ROS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Photosynthesis is fundamental to plant growth, functioning and fitness; however, a plant’s capability to acquire and retain the highest photosynthetic capacity greatly relies upon environmental conditions. Both plant growth and development experience a nonstop exposure to biotic and abiotic stress conditions.
Understanding how photosynthesis works, and how to additionally optimize it, is a nonstop science research topic. Photosynthesis utilizes light energy to generate an oxidized protein complex capable of extracting electrons from water at photosystem II (PSII), to drive electron transport, ATP generation, and subsequent CO2 fixation through the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle (CBBC), in addition to other energy-consuming reactions throughout the cells. Consequently, photosynthesis supplies materials and energy for the synthesis of essential organic molecules necessary to sustain life on Earth.
The fast development of synthetic biology tools now offers novel prospects for the creation of entirely unique designs of enhanced photosynthetic systems and the modification of photosynthesis to meet increasing demands in the context of our changing climate. Novel mechanisms have to evolve to guarantee a high photosynthetic yield under high light stress, especially under simultaneous high light and stress combinations, while, at the same time, to confer a higher quantum yield when light turns out to be a scarce resource. This manipulation denotes prospects to utilize excess light energy otherwise principally missed in photoprotection, as shown in the recent success of the engineering of a faster recovery from photoprotection for a greater biomass production. Thus, the invention of more efficient light-harvesting systems capable of utilizing the expanded solar spectrum for the generation of ATP and NADPH and/or a smaller chlorophyll antenna size and lower chlorophyll content, reducing the excess absorption of sunlight and improving photosynthetic efficiency, is the ultimate goal in photosynthesis research. The maximization of photosynthesis would allow plants to navigate highly stressful environments, balancing the energy demand between plant growth and resistance. This goal has to be accomplished in order to successfully achieve higher yields in agriculture and to solve problems concerning food security by starting a modern green revolution, allowing us to feed 10 billion people by 2050. Current progress in photosynthetic engineering research has advanced leaf-level knowledge related to the Rubisco function, electron transport chain and CO2 delivery, allowing for the generation of novel photosynthetic manipulation for solving problems associated with an increased global crop production. Photosynthetic manipulation offers novel prospects for enhancing the crop yield.
Prof. Dr. Michael Moustakas
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- photosynthetic engineering
- food security
- photosynthetic manipulation
- CO2 fixation
- light energy use
- stress resistance
- high light stress
