Sunlight, the natural energy source, has made photosynthesis a popular target for renewable resources. Photosynthetic carbon metabolism is an essential component of plant metabolism that contributes to plant productivity and crop yields. Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms include plants, algae and cyanobacteria. Innovative exploitation of photosynthetic potential by crops becomes imperative to meet the ever-increasing demands for food and energy of the human population. Photosynthetic efficiency and crop productivity can be enhanced in several ways, including genetic manipulation. However, one must build a comprehensive knowledge of the basic mechanisms involved. The approaches to improve plant or algal photosynthesis will include optimising the light utilisation, modifying the photosynthetic electron transport chain, improving carbon fixation, introducing alternative photorespiratory shunts and efficient translocation of photosynthetic assimilates, incorporating genes from C4 plants, targeting microRNAs or transcription factors.

Climatic stress factors, nutritional availability and exposure to pests or pathogens often limit the maximal potential of photosynthesis. Making photosynthesis resilient to such challenges is therefore essential for sustained performance. Despite past efforts, maximal photosynthetic rates are short of their theoretical maximum efficiency, indicating the untapped potential. In this context, the emerging areas of synthetic biology and the technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, offer great potential to design and develop crops with high photosynthetic efficiency. Further studies on algae and cyanobacteria can provide valuable lessons that can be adapted to crop plants.

The present topic is designed to present the recent progress in our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of photosynthesis, and evaluate the scope for enhancing productivity through multiple approaches, including genetic manipulations, breeding for high-yielding varieties and designing “Super-Plants” for efficient energy capture. Articles dealing with aspects within the scope of engineering photosynthesis for improved crop performance are welcome.

The articles may be related to the following areas, but not limited to.
• Studies on the basic aspects of crop photosynthesis: electron transport; carbon assimilation; partitioning; photorespiration; canopy architecture
• Innovative approaches to genetic engineering of photosynthesis;
• Designing crops with improved canopy architecture for maximal light interception;
• Breeding crops with traits that contribute to maximal photosynthesis and productivity;
• Lessons learnt from manipulation of photosynthesis in algae and cyanobacteria;
• Case histories of crops with improved photosynthetic performance;
• Contributions addressing photosynthesis in non-domesticated or scarcely studied plant species adapted to extreme environments;
• Studies demonstrating how metabolic alterations in organelles other than chloroplasts affect photosynthesis.

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Engineering Photosynthesis: Genetic Innovations for Improved Crop Resilience and Efficiency