title: Natural genetic variation for morphological and molecular determinants of plant growth and yield.
abstract: The rates of increase in yield of the main commercial crops have been steadily falling in many areas worldwide. This generates concerns because there is a growing demand for plant biomass due to the increasing population. Plant yield should thus be improved in the context of climate change and decreasing natural resources. It is a major challenge which could be tackled by improving and/or altering light-use efficiency, CO2 uptake and fixation, primary metabolism, plant architecture and leaf morphology, and developmental plant processes. In this review, we discuss some of the traits which could lead to yield increase, with a focus on how natural genetic variation could be harnessed. Moreover, we provide insights for advancing our understanding of the molecular aspects governing plant growth and yield, and propose future avenues for improvement of crop yield. We also suggest that knowledge accumulated over the last decade in the field of molecular physiology should be integrated into new ideotypes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil Max-Planck Partner Group at the Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil nunesnesi@ufv.br.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nunes-Nesi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil Max-Planck Partner Group at the Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor de Laia
authors.initials: Vde L
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil Max-Planck Partner Group at the Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Franklin Magnum
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Silva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zsögön
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil Max-Planck Partner Group at the Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wagner L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: National University of Ireland, Galway, Plant Systems Biology Lab, Plant and AgriBiosciences Research Centre, School of Natural Sciences, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Ronan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sulpice
mesh_terms: D000069599:Crop Production; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D063245:Plant Development / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D018526:Plant Transpiration / Q000235:genetics
keywords: Carbon partitioning; genetic variability; photosynthesis; plant growth; plant yield; primary metabolism.