Genetic engineering of harvest index in tobacco through overexpression of a phytochrome gene

• Published in: Nature biotechnology Vol. 14; no. 8; pp. 995 - 998
• Main Authors: Robson, P.R.H. (University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.), McCormac, A.C, Irvine, A.S, Smith, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.1996
• Subjects: ADN; ALTURA; AVENA SATIVA; Biotechnology; COMPLEMENTARY DNA; CROP DENSITY; DNA; Ecology; ENTRE NOEUD; ESPACEMENT; ESPACIAMIENTO; ETAPAS DE DESARROLLO DE LA PLANTA; EXPRESION GENICA; EXPRESSION DES GENES; FAR RED LIGHT; FITOCROMA; GENE; GENE EXPRESSION; gene overexpression; GENE TRANSFER; GENES; HARVEST INDEX; HAUTEUR; HEIGHT; HIPOCOTILOS; HYPOCOTYLE; HYPOCOTYLS; INDICE DE COSECHA; INDICE DE RECOLTE; INTERNODES; INTERNODIOS; LARGURA; LENGTH; LIGHT; LONGUEUR; LUMIERE; LUZ; Nicotiana - genetics; NICOTIANA TABACUM; OMBRE; Phenotype; phya gene; PHYTOCHROME; Phytochrome - genetics; Phytochrome A; PLANT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES; PLANTAS TRANSGENICAS; PLANTE TRANSGENIQUE; Plants, Genetically Modified; Plants, Toxic; Protein Engineering; reverse shade avoidance; SHADE; SOMBRA; SPACING; STADE DE DEVELOPPEMENT VEGETAL; STRUCTURAL GENES; TRANSFERENCIA DE GENES; TRANSFERT DE GENE; TRANSGENIC PLANTS
• ISSN: 1087-0156; 1546-1696
• DOI: 10.1038/nbt0896-995

The phytochrome photoreceptor family regulates plant architecture in response to environmental light signals. Phytochromes mediate the shade avoidance syndrome, in which plants react to far-red radiation reflected from neighbors by elongation growth, occurring at the expense of leaf and storage organ production. We show that transgenic overproduction of phytochrome A in tobacco suppresses shade avoidance, causing proximity-conditional dwarfing. At high densities in the field, assimilates show an enhanced allocation to leaves, with a concomitant increase in harvest index. Transfer of this approach to other crop plants could provide significant improvements in productivity.