Researchers have uncovered the genetic variations that explain why plants undergo a developmental change akin to ‘puberty’ at varying speeds. This significant finding could enhance crop nutrition.
Researchers have uncovered the genetic variations that explain why plants undergo a developmental change akin to “puberty” at varying speeds. This significant finding could enhance crop nutrition.
This developmental shift, known as the vegetative-to-reproductive transition, occurs over several days. During this period, plants reduce their leaf growth and start producing reproductive organs.
This substantial transformation is crucial for both farmers and consumers since it marks the beginning of the process where nutrients from the leaves are redirected into the plant’s reproductive organs and eventually into the fruits and grains. Proper timing in plant development leads to more nutritious foods.
Farmers strive to cultivate crops that exhibit uniformity; however, similar to humans, individual plants experience puberty at different stages.
To explore the elements that influence the timing of this transition, researchers from the University of York cultivated Arabidopsis thaliana, a wild mustard species closely related to Brassica crops like cabbage and broccoli, under tightly controlled conditions for soil, temperature, humidity, and light.
This species was selected because generations of inbreeding have resulted in a nearly genetically uniform collection of seeds.
Even under these carefully regulated conditions, the plants showcased signs of developmental transition on different days. When approximately half of the plants had completed this transition, the researchers assessed the genetic activity across all of them.
Although the plants shared the same chronological age, they were at various stages of plant “puberty.” The researchers pinpointed specific genetic alterations that were associated with the timing of this developmental change.
They also found that plants begin the process of leaf senescence even before scientists observe any visible reproductive structures.
Dr. Daphne Ezer, the lead author from the Department of Biology, stated: “In many ways, plant and human growth are quite similar: each individual experiences it in a unique manner.”
“Our study revealed distinct genetic changes that may govern the timing of a plant’s developmental transition, opening avenues for future enhancements in crop consistency and quality.”
“Interestingly, we also discovered that plants start to redirect nutrients from their leaves to their flowering parts even sooner than we initially thought. To boost the nutritional quality of crops, farmers may need to focus on these underlying processes occurring well before any visible indication of the vegetative-to-reproductive transition.”
