Far-red light: A regulator of plant morphology and photosynthetic capacity

Plant photosynthetic capacity directly determines crop yield. Light quality regulates photosynthetic capacity. This review discusses plant responses to far-red light from the phenotypic to the molecular level, focusing specifically on the improvement of photosynthetic capacity by adjustment of photosynthetic electron transport and the path of light energy. Far-red light can also regulate leaf angle and increase plant height and leaf area, via expression of associated genes, to capture more light energy. Thus, far-red light regulates plant morphology and photosynthetic capacity. Identifying the mechanism of this regulation may lead to increased crop yields.