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Biofortified rice to combat deficiencies

Researchers at UNIGE and ETH Zurich have created biofortified rice lines with enhanced vitamin B1 content, targeting the nourishing tissue of the grain. The modified lines multiplied vitamin B1 levels by 3-4 without compromising agronomic yield, providing a significant advance in combating deficiency.

Early grain development in bread wheat

Researchers found that TaMADS29 interacts with TaNF-YB1 to regulate early grain development in bread wheat. The complex helps prevent excessive ROS accumulation, promotes nutrient transport into the endosperm, and allows normal grain filling.

An internal thermometer tells the seeds when to germinate

Researchers at UNIGE discovered that seeds have an internal thermometer-like mechanism to delay or block germination if temperatures are too high. This mechanism is implemented by the endosperm tissue, which controls germination and seedling growth.

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The young plant’s pantry does more than just feed it

A UNIGE team discovered that the endosperm's role extends beyond nutrition to influence seedling development, including cuticle formation. In its absence, seedlings fail to develop normally, highlighting the tissue's crucial protective function.

Genetic discovery may improve corn quality, yields

Researchers have discovered genetic regulators that synthesize starch and protein in corn, improving its yield and nutritional value. The study, published in PNAS, found two transcription factors that play key roles in regulating starch and protein synthesis, paving the way for further research to improve corn quality.

Flour power to boost food security

Researchers at the University of Queensland have identified genes that control a cell protein holding wheat grain layers together, leading to improved milling efficiency and nutritional profiles. This breakthrough could increase flour yield by up to 10% and unlock new high-yielding field wheats.

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Plant's POEM: 'No need to fertilize, for increase in seed size'

Plant biologists at ITbM, Nagoya University, have made a key discovery that the contents in pollen tubes alone can increase the size of seeds, without the need for fertilization. This new plant phenomenon, named as POEM (pollen tube-dependent ovule enlargement morphology), shows that even in the absence of fertilization, release of the...

Researchers develop method for higher purity in wheat flour

Kansas State University researchers developed a method to test endosperm purity in flour, enabling millers to optimize equipment settings and meet baker specifications. The test helps exclude inferior flour streams from final products, improving the yield of high-quality wheat flour.

Cell fusion 'eats up' the 'attractive cell' in flowering plants

In a study on flowering plants, researchers have discovered a novel cell-elimination system based on an unusual cell fusion. Successful fertilization triggers cell fusion between the persistent synergid cell and the endosperm, leading to inactivation of the persistent synergid cell.

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Can plants be altruistic? You bet, says new CU-Boulder-led study

A new CU-Boulder-led study reveals that plants can exhibit altruistic behavior, prioritizing the growth and well-being of their closely related offspring. The research found that endosperm in seeds sharing the same mother and father grew more heavily than those with genetically different parents.

A quarter of a century of sweet corn observations

A quarter century of sweet corn observations revealed shifts in endosperm types and reactions to post-emergence herbicides. Disease-resistant hybrids have increased in availability, allowing breeders to focus on improving resistance without sacrificing seed sales.

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The amazing maze of maize evolution

Dr. Marina Dermastia and colleagues discovered similarities between maize and teosinte kernel development, overturning previous assumptions about domestication. The team found traits like programmed cell death, sugar flow control, and endoreduplication that are common to both crops, suggesting they evolved independently.

The secret love life of plants

Scientists at Max Planck Institute and University of Cologne isolate mutant Arabidopsis thaliana with single sperm cell, allowing it to germinate and fertilize. The researchers found that a positive signal from the egg cell's fertilization triggers endosperm proliferation.