Abstract

Until recently, few data were available on photosynthesis and its underlying mechanistically limiting factors in plants, other than crops and model species. Currently, a new large pool of data from extant representatives of basal terrestrial plant groups is emerging, allowing exploration of how photosynthetic capacity (A(max)) increases from minimum values in bryophytes to maximum in tracheophytes, which is associated to an optimization of the balance between its limiting factors. From predominant mesophyll conductance limitation (l(m)) in bryophytes and lycophytes (fern allies) to stomata! conductance (l(s)) and l(m) colimitation in pteridophytes (ferns) and gymnosperms, a balanced colimitation by the three limitations is finally reached in angiosperms. We discuss the implications of this new knowledge for future biotechnological attempts to improve crop photosynthesis.