Abstract Light is a major environmental factor regulating plant growth and development. Photosynthesis in plants provides the materials and energy necessary for their long-term survival. Autophagy plays a crucial role in the degradation of substances in eukaryotic cells and is essential for plant growth, development, and stress regulation. However, the molecular link between the light response and autophagy pathways in plants remains poorly understood. Here, we found that autophagy-related cyste