Cutting Loose. Abscission and Dehiscence in Arabidopsis

作者：Sara E. Patterson · 发表于：PLANT PHYSIOLOGY · 年份：2001 · DOI：10.1104/pp.126.2.494 · 被引用次数：323 · 研究领域：Plant Reproductive Biology、Plant Physiology and Cultivation Studies、Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life Management

Delayed cell separation historically was one of the first agricultural traits selected for by man. Successful collection of fruits and seeds of crops such as wheat (Triticum monococcum), rice (Oryza sativa), and a variety of legumes was only possible due to the selection for delayed fruit abscission or pod shatter in which seeds were retained on the stalk rather than rapidly shed. This selection pressure was further imposed as human beings began to harvest by sickle rather than collection in baskets because only the grains that remained longer on the plant were harvested and propagated for future use. A glance at some of the wild relatives of wheat and barley (Hordeum vulgare) shows the presence of brittle, easily shed, seed-bearing stalks rather than the tougher, seed-retaining stalks of some of today's cultivars. In crops like amaranth (Amaranth caudatus) and rice, there is still a strong emphasis on additional selection for delayed seed shatter because major crop loss occurs.