Photosynthesis and food security: the evolving story of C4 rice

Traditional Green Revolution cereal breeding strategies to improve yield are now reaching a plateau in our principal global food crop rice. Photosynthesis has now become a major target of international consortia to increase yield potential. Synthetic biology is being used across multiple large projects to improve photosynthetic efficiency. This review follows the genesis and progress of one of the first of these consortia projects, now in its 13th year; the Bill and Melinda Gates funded C-4 Rice Project. This project seeks to install the biochemical and anatomical attributes necessary to support C-4 photosynthesis in the C-3 crop rice. Here we address the advances made thus far in installing the biochemical pathway and some of the key targets yet to be reached.

Automated summary

Traditional Green Revolution strategies in cereal breeding for improved yield in rice are plateauing, so international consortia are now focusing on targeting photosynthesis to increase yield potential. Synthetic biology is being used in large-scale projects to enhance photosynthetic efficiency. This review focuses on the Bill and Melinda Gates funded C-4 Rice Project, one of the first consortia projects aimed at introducing C-4 photosynthesis attributes into the C-3 crop rice. The advancements in installing the biochemical pathway and the remaining challenges are discussed.