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Mutant maize with a ‘smart canopy’ evades the shade at high planting density

Nature, Published online: 03 October 2024; doi:10.1038/d41586-024-03189-5

Adapting plant architecture to tolerate dense planting is an important strategy for enhancing maize yields. A newly identified mutant gene confers a ‘smart canopy’ architecture, with upright upper leaves, less-erect middle leaves and relatively flat lower leaves. Plants with this gene yield more grain under high-density planting than their wild-type counterparts do.