Opportunities and Challenges to Crop Improvement Through Photosynthesis Under Changing Climate

Abstract

Crop production is seriously threatened by global climate change and recent demands for the growth of crops to produce bio-fuels. On the other hand, population growth will exert an immense pressure on food demand in the coming years. By 2050, food production will need to increase by 50% to feed the growing population. The most feasible option is to increase the crop yield potential through increasing the photosynthetic capacity per leaf area. Raising the atmospheric C02 concentration from the current concentration of 390 to 550 L C02 L 1 (year 2050 C02 concentration in the atmosphere), caused an increase in photosynthesis by (31%), while photorespiration and stomatal conductance decreased by ~50% and ~22% respectively. This increase in photosynthesis at elevated C02 will promote a grain yield of up to 45% for some cereal cultivars suggesting that yield enhancement is possible through increasing photosynthesis.