title: Paradigm shift in plant growth control.
abstract: For plants to grow they need resources and appropriate conditions that these resources are converted into biomass. While acknowledging the importance of co-drivers, the classical view is still that carbon, that is, photosynthetic CO2 uptake, ranks above any other drivers of plant growth. Hence, theory and modelling of growth traditionally is carbon centric. Here, I suggest that this view is not reflecting reality, but emerged from the availability of methods and process understanding at leaf level. In most cases, poorly understood processes of tissue formation and cell growth are governing carbon demand, and thus, CO2 uptake. Carbon can only be converted into biomass to the extent chemical elements other than carbon, temperature or cell turgor permit.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Botany, University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 6, 4056 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: ch.koerner@unibas.ch.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Körner
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D055864:Droughts; D004777:Environment; D010788:Photosynthesis; D063245:Plant Development; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon