Natural genetic variation in photosynthesis: an untapped resource to increase crop yield potential?

Summary Raising crop yield potential is a major goal to ensure food security for the growing global population. Photosynthesis is the primary determinant of crop productivity and any gain in photosynthetic CO 2 assimilation per unit of leaf area ( A ) has the potential to increase yield. Significant intraspecific variation in A is known to exist in various autotrophic organs that represent an unexploited target for crop improvement. However, the...