Photomorpho mutants
Light is a major environmental factor controlling plant development. Besides driving photosynthesis, light is also important to determine plant structure through a process called photomorphogenesis. Light control of organ formation and growth is important to improve photosynthesis itself (e.g. shade avoidance) and also to optimize the use of other resources whose availability changes over time. An example of the modulation of plant development by light is the control of seed germination and flowering by light regime and photoperiod. Tomato photomorpho mutants carry alterations in genes coding for molecules involved in light perception (e.g. phytochrome, cryptochrome, etc) and signal transduction. Please click on the name of each mutant to obtain information about its molecular identity (gene function, if known) and phenotype (gene effect of a given allele).