The researchers compared different types of plant mutants to see which ones were best at protecting themselves from too much sunlight. They tested how well each mutant could handle bright light and found that plants with lutein were the most tolerant. They also looked at how well each mutant could use light for energy, and found that plants with lutein and violaxanthin were the most efficient. Overall, having a mix of different types of carotenoids in the plants' cells was more important for protection than having just one type. This could be important for developing better crops in the future.