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REVIEW article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Crop and Product Physiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1550125
This article is part of the Research Topic Elucidating the Molecular, Physiological, and Biochemical Mechanisms Underlying Stress Responses in Crop Plants View all 11 articles
Adaptive Responses of Plants to Light Stress: Mechanisms of Photoprotection and Acclimation. A Review
Provisionally accepted- 1 Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GDAAS), Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
- 2 Department of Botany, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Malakand, Chakdara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
- 3 College of Biological Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
Plants depend on solar energy for growth via oxygenic photosynthesis. However, when light levels exceed the optimal range for photosynthesis, it causes abiotic stress and harms plant physiology. In response to excessive light, plants activate a series of signaling pathways starting from the chloroplast and affecting the entire plant, leading to stress-specific physiological changes. These signals prompt various physiological and biochemical adjustments aimed at counteracting the negative impacts of high light intensity, including photodamage and photoinhibition. Mechanisms to protect against light stress involve scavenging of chloroplastic reactive oxygen species (ROS), adjustments in chloroplast and stomatal positioning, and increased anthocyanin production to safeguard the photosynthetic machinery.Given that this machinery is a primary target for stress-induced damage, plants have evolved acclimation strategies like dissipating thermal energy via non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), repairing Photosystem II (PSII), and regulating the transcription of photosynthetic proteins. Fluctuating light presents a less severe but consistent stress, which has not been extensively studied. Nevertheless, current research indicates that state transitions and cyclic electron flow play crucial roles in helping plants adapt to varying light conditions. This review encapsulates the latest understanding of plant physiological and biochemical responses to both high light and low light stress.
Keywords: Climate change, Light, reactive oxygen species, Biogenesis of PSII, Photosystem II repair cycle
Received: 22 Dec 2024; Accepted: 28 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Khan, Fu, Zaman, Sohail and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Imran Khan, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GDAAS), Guangzhou, 510640, Guangdong Province, China
Dr. Sohail, College of Biological Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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