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In developmental biology, photomorphogenesis is light mediated development, where plant growth patterns respond to the light spectrum. This is a completely separate process from photosynthesis where light is used as a source of energy. Phytochromes, cryptochromes, and phototropins are photochromic sensory receptors that restrict the photomorphogenic effect of light to the UV A, UV B, blue, and red portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Most research on photomorphogenesis is derived from plants studies involving several kingdoms: Fungi, Monera, Protista, and Plantae.

Theophrastus of Eresus (371 to 287 BC) may have been the first to write about photomorphogenesis. He described the different wood qualities of fir trees grown in different levels of light, likely the result of the photomorphogenic "shade avoidance" effect. In 1686, John Ray wrote "Historia Plantarum" which mentioned the effects of etiolation (grow in the absence of light). Charles Bonnet introduced the term "etiolement" to the scientific literature in 1754 when describing his experiments, commenting that the term was already in use by gardeners.

Light has profound effects on the development of plants. The most striking effects of light are observed when a germinating seedling emerges from the soil and is exposed to light for the first time. Normally the seedling radicle (root) emerges first from the seed, and the shoot appears as the root becomes established. Later, with growth of the shoot (particularly when it emerges into the light) there is increased secondary root formation and branching. In this coordinated progression of developmental responses are early manifestations of correlative growth phenomena where the root affects the growth of the shoot and vice versa. To a large degree, the growth responses are hormone mediated.

Some plants rely on light signals to determine when to switch from the vegetative to the flowering stage of plant development. This type of photomorphogenesis is known as photoperiodism and involves using red photoreceptors (phytochromes) to determine the daylength. As a result, photoperiodic plants only start making flowers when the days have reached a "critical daylength," allowing these plants to initiate their flowering period according to the time of year. For example, "long day" plants need long days to start flowering, and "short day" plants need to experience short days before they will start making flowers. Phytochromes are proteins with a light absorbing pigment attached called a chromophore. The chromophore is a linear tetrapyrrole called phytochromobilin. Most plants have multiple phytochromes encoded by different genes. The different forms of phytochrome control different responses but there is also redundancy so that in the absence of one phytochrome, another may take on the missing functions. PHYA is involved in the regulation of photomorphogenesis in response to far red light. For mung bean it was the opposite, where far red light exposure caused the root tips to adhere, and red light caused the roots to detach. This effect of red and far red light on root tips is now known as the Tanada effect.

Plants contain multiple blue light photoreceptors which have different functions. Based on studies with action spectra, mutants and molecular analyses, it has been determined that higher plants contain at least 4, and probably 5, different blue light photoreceptors. Cryptochromes were the first blue light receptors to be isolated and characterized from any organism, and are responsible for the blue light reactions in photomorphogenesis. Cryptochromes control stem elongation, leaf expansion, circadian rhythms and flowering time. In addition to blue light, cryptochromes also perceive long wavelength UV irradiation (UV A). Plants undergo distinct photomorphogenic changes as a result of UV B radiation. They have photoreceptors that initiate morphogenetic changes in the plant embryo (hypocotyl, epicotyl, radicle) Exposure to UV light in plants mediates biochemical pathways, photosynthesis, plant growth and many other processes essential to plant development. The UV B photoreceptor, UV Resistance Locus8 (UVR8) detects UV B rays and elicits photomorphogenic responses. These response are important for initiating hypocotyl elongation, leaf expansion, biosynthesis of flavonoids and many other important processes that affect the root shoot system. Exposure to UV B rays can be damaging to DNA inside of the plant cells, however, UVR8 induces genes required to acclimate plants to UV B radiation, these genes are responsible for many biosynthesis pathways that involve protection from UV damage, oxidative stress, and photorepair of DNA damage. There is still much to be discovered about the mechanisms involved in UV B radiation and UVR8. Scientists are working to understand the pathways responsible for plant UV receptors response to solar radiation in natural environments.