TY  - JOUR
A1  - Cordeiro, Andre M.
A1  - Andrade, Luis
A1  - Monteiro, Catarina C.
A1  - Leitao, Guilherme
A1  - Wigge, Philip Anthony
A1  - Saibo, Nelson J. M.
T1  - Phytochrome-interacting factors
BT  - a promising tool to improve crop productivity
JF  - Journal of experimental botany
N2  - Review exploring the regulation of PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORS by light, their role in abiotic stress tolerance and plant architecture, and their influence on crop productivity. 
Light is a key determinant for plant growth, development, and ultimately yield. Phytochromes, red/far-red photoreceptors, play an important role in plant architecture, stress tolerance, and productivity. In the model plant Arabidopsis, it has been shown that PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs; bHLH transcription factors) act as central hubs in the integration of external stimuli to regulate plant development. Recent studies have unveiled the importance of PIFs in crops. They are involved in the modulation of plant architecture and productivity through the regulation of cell division and elongation in response to different environmental cues. These studies show that different PIFs have overlapping but also distinct functions in the regulation of plant growth. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms by which PIFs regulate plant development is crucial to improve crop productivity under both optimal and adverse environmental conditions. In this review, we discuss current knowledge of PIFs acting as integrators of light and other signals in different crops, with particular focus on the role of PIFs in responding to different environmental conditions and how this can be used to improve crop productivity.
KW  - Cold
KW  - drought
KW  - grain size
KW  - heat
KW  - light signaling
KW  - phytochrome
KW  - PIF
KW  - plant architecture
KW  - plant breeding
KW  - plant yield
KW  - salinity
Y1  - 2022
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erac142
SN  - 0022-0957
SN  - 1460-2431
VL  - 73
IS  - 12
SP  - 3881
EP  - 3897
PB  - Oxford Univ. Press
CY  - Oxford
ER  -