Low-light and its effects on crop yield: Genetic and genomic implications

ABSTRACT

Shade indicates decreased sunlight. The agricultural importance of shade imparts to its deteriorative effect of cropyield. Rice is not only the most widely used food crop by a third of the population of the world, but it has also beenestablished as the model monocot plant for study. This article describes several important aspects of shade on rice yieldwith appropriate examples in other plants such as Arabidopsis. To start with, how different environmental or growthconditions create shade is explained. The morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics due to differentkinds of shade are selectively explained. The molecular characteristics of rice under shade from genetic, genomic andepigenetic studied are discussed. Signalling components for the manifestation of shade tolerance responses and theirinterconnection with other signalling networks and hormone pathway components are from recent reports. A list ofgenes, micro-RNAs and metabolites that are involved in shade responses is presented. Lastly, implications forsustainable yield under shade is discussed. This review will be useful not only for cutting-edge information on shadetolerance but will also build framework for upcoming new rice varieties with sustainable yield under shade.