Photosynthetic activity of reproductive organs

Highlight We summarize our understanding of the photosynthetic contribution of floral and non-foliar organs to plant development and describe some of the molecular mechanisms that support photosynthesis outside of the leaf. Abstract During seed development, carbon is reallocated from maternal tissues to support germination and subsequent growth. As this pool of resources is depleted post-germination, the plant begins autotrophic growth through leaf photosynthesis. Photoassimilates derived from the leaf are used to sustain the plant and form new organs, including other vegetative leaves, stems, bracts, flowers, fruits, and seeds. In contrast to the view that reproductive tissues act only as resource sinks, many studies demonstrate that flowers, fruits, and seeds are photosynthetically active. The photosynthetic contribution to development is variable between these reproductive organs and between species. In addition, our understanding of the developmental control of photosynthetic activity in reproductive organs is vastly incomplete. A further complication is that reproductive organ photosynthesis (ROP) appears to be particularly important under suboptimal growth conditions. Therefore, the topic of ROP presents the community with a challenge to integrate the fields of photosynthesis, development, and stress responses. Here, we attempt to summarize our understanding of the contribution of ROP to development and the molecular mechanisms underlying its control.