Chloroplast engineering for enhancing photosynthetic efficiency and agronomic traits

Plant chloroplast, the vital organelle that performs photosynthesis, is essential for sustaining life on Earth. It not only converts light energy into food while releasing O₂ in the process, but also consumes CO₂, thereby reducing the pace of climate warming. Stresses such as heat, oxidative stress, fluctuating light, and herbicides negatively impact the photosynthetic potential of chloroplasts. Hence, concerted research efforts have focused on chloroplast engineering to improve the photosynthetic processes for enhancing plant growth, crop yield, and stress resilience. In this context, this review discusses recent advances in chloroplast engineering, which include manipulation of gene(s) involved in photosynthesis. Additionally, non-genetic approaches that enhance photosynthesis are detailed. Finally, the future directions of research that are likely to yield photosynthetically efficient crops are emphasized.