Scientists at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands have discovered a new gene that allows annual plants continue to grow after flowering, and not to die. The discovery may improve the yield of agricultural crops, not visiva them again every year. Article researchers published in the journal Nature Plants.
Researchers have identified the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) gene AHL15, which determines whether the plant is capable of growing season after flowering. Vegetation growth and development, provide points of growth — group of stem cells that form new stems with leaves or flowers. In perennial plants, some growth areas remain active, however, at the annual this is not happening. The suppression of gene AHL15 life of perennial plants gets shorter, and if sverkhekspressiya plants bloom several times.
According to scientists, the discovery will help to answer the question, why in the course of evolution, some plants become annuals and others perennial. In addition, the preservation of activity of some groups of stem cells such annual crops as rice or wheat, would the plants continue to grow after harvest.
