The heat is on: scaling improvements in photosynthetic thermal tolerance from the leaf to canopy to predict crop yields in a changing climate

Crop production must increase to sustain a growing global population, and this challenge is compounded by increased growing season temperatures and extreme heat events that are already causing significant yield losses in staple crops. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop strategies to adapt crops to withstand the impacts of a warmer climate. Temperature-sensitive vegetative processes fundamentally related to yield, like photosynthesis, will be impacted by warming throughout the growing season, thus strategies to enhance their resilience hold promise to future-proof crops for a warmer world. Here, we summarize three major strategies to enhance C3 photosynthesis above the thermal optimum: enhanced rubisco activation, modified photorespiration and increased rates of ribulose bisphosphate regeneration. We highlight recent experimental evidence demonstrating the efficacy of these strategies, and then use a mechanistic modelling approach to predict the benefit of these engineering strategies on leaf-level carbon assimilation and soybean yield at elevated temperatures. Our approach highlights that these three engineering targets, particularly when combined, can enhance photosynthetic rates and yield under both ambient and elevated temperatures. By targeting multiple aspects of photosynthetic metabolism, we can develop crops that are better equipped to withstand the challenges of a warming climate and contribute to future food security. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Crops under stress: can we mitigate the impacts of climate change on agriculture and launch the ‘Resilience Revolution’?’.