Leaf angle: a target of genetic improvement in cereal crops tailored for high‐density planting

• Published in: Plant biotechnology journal Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 426 - 436
• Main Authors: Cao, Yingying, Zhong, Zhuojun, Wang, Haiyang, Shen, Rongxin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.03.2022; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Agricultural production; biotechnology; canopy; Cell division; cereal crop; Cereal crops; Corn; Crop yield; Crops; Crops, Agricultural - genetics; dense planting; Edible Grain - genetics; Genetic improvement; grain yield; Leaf angle; Leaves; Molecular modelling; Morphology; Photosynthesis; plant architecture; Plant Breeding; Plant Leaves - genetics; Planting; Planting density; Review; Rice; stress tolerance; Zea mays - genetics; cereal crop; dense planting; grain yield; plant architecture; leaf angle
• ISSN: 1467-7644; 1467-7652; 1467-7652
• DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13780

Summary High‐density planting is an effective measure for increasing crop yield per unit land area. Leaf angle (LA) is a key trait of plant architecture and a target for genetic improvement of crops. Upright leaves allow better light capture in canopy under high‐density planting, thus enhancing photosynthesis efficiency, ventilation and stress resistance, and ultimately higher grain yield. Here, we summarized the latest progress on the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating LA formation in rice and maize. We suggest several standing out questions for future studies and then propose some promising strategies to manipulate LA for breeding of cereal crops tailored for high‐density planting.