The evolutionary success of orchid family is driven by its extraordinary adaptation. Chalcone synthase (CHS) gene encodes the key enzyme for biosynthesis of flavonoids, secondary metabolites important for plant adaptation. Kuo et al. report the first chromosome-scale study of CHS genes in Phalaenopsis orchids. Five paralogous CHS genes identified from Ph. aphrodite transcriptomic datasets were […]

Changes in the arrangement of cell wall components determine cell wall properties (integrity, stiffness), thereby affecting the macro properties of fruits, which are important for consumers and industry. The immunocytochemical study was conducted to elucidate the distribution of arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) and pectic polysaccharides contained in apple (Malus x domestica) fruits during senescence process. Microscopy […]

Plant defence reaction is associated with activation of primary metabolic pathways. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), the key enzyme of the oxidative pentose phosphate (OPP), pathway is involved in plant responses to abiotic stresses and pathogenesis. Hu et al. assess the role of G6PDH in regulating plant defence response during plant-nematode interaction. Root-knot nematode infection caused a […]

Banana cultivation is a long tradition for numerous communities in East Africa, growing particularly the robust diploid ‘Mchare’ variety in the Kilimanjaro and the triploid ‘Mutika’ in the Great Lakes region. Since the 1970s, drastic yield declines due to soil degradation and emergent pests and diseases, has led to the disaffection by farmers for traditional […]

The question of which cellular mechanisms determine the variation in leaf size has been previously addressed in plants with simple leaves. Dissecting compound tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves in leaflet areas and in cellular traits, Koch et al. show that leaf area variation along the shoot is related to leaflet area and epidermal cell number. In […]

Brachypodium distachyon (Poaceae) is now a widely accepted model grass. Its favourable cytogenetic features and advanced molecular infrastructure make it also a useful model system in mutagenesis studies. Kus et al. use fluorescent in situ hybridisation with repetitive DNA sequences and Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC)-based chromosome-specific probes (mcFISH) to qualitatively and quantitatively analyse the composition […]

Umbellifers, a plant family that includes carrots, have striking inflorescences on stalks. Botanists have thought umbellifers have been generalists. They attract many different types of insect to their flowers. But is this assumption true? Zych and colleagues have looked at recent studies that show only a few insects are the most effective pollinators. The scientists […]

How do plant species diverge? The Grant-Stebbin model describes pollinator-driven speciation. The idea is that plants adapt their flowers to work with the mosr effective pollinators in an area. When there are different pollinators across a geographical range, the flowers diverge. As the plants no longer work so well for their relatives’ pollinators, they become […]

Asexual reproduction via seeds (apomixis) is an important speciation mechanism in angiosperms, but its frequency is largely unknown. Mráz and Zdvořák used flow cytometric seed screening to unravel reproductive pathways in more than 50 Hieracium s.str. taxa (Asteraceae) sampled across Europe. They found that diploid taxa produced their seeds solely after double fertilization, i.e. sexually, […]

Brian Park and colleagues have been examining a peculiar fact. A plant can increase its reproductive success by producing sterile flowers. Not all the flowers are sterile. Viburnum lantanoides, (Adoxaceae) has enlarged sterile flowers at the edge of clusters of flowers. The reason is that these flowers are all about display. They pull the pollinators […]

Pierre-Oliver Cheptou examines two seemingly contradictory findings. Over the last 10 years, well-established patterns of evolution have emerged. First, experimental studies have shown that self-fertilization is likely to evolve in a few generations (microevolution). This is as a response to rapid environmental change. (e.g. pollinator decline), eventually rescuing a population. Yet, phylogenetic studies have demonstrated […]

Seed production of plants is rarely maximized, because it is limited by pollen receipt. Previous theories have shown that ecological mechanisms can drive the evolution of pollen limitation. Devaux et al.’s model shows that pollen limitation can also evolve as a by-product of the evolution of the mating system. At evolutionarily stable equilibria, plants are […]