David and Goliath: what can the tiny weed Arabidopsis teach us to improve biomass production in crops?

Abstract

In the next decades, the world market for plant-derived products is expected to expand exponentially. Not only do we rely on plants to feed the growing world population, but plants will also play a pivotal role in providing a significant part of our increasing energy demands. Whereas in the 1960s the green revolution contributed to increase plant productivity, it is expected that biotechnological advances will further boost biomass production and plant yield. To do this effectively, it will be necessary to understand how the molecular machinery that determines yield parameters operates. Although of no direct economic significance, the model plant Arabidopsis can be used to find genes and regulatory networks controlling biomass production, which, in turn, can be applied for further growth improvement in other species including cereals.