Uncovering an ancient mechanism of growth and development in land plants

Uncovering an ancient mechanism of growth and development in land plants

Researchers at the Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have uncovered a long-sought mechanism employed by primitive land plants such as bryophytes (including mosses and liverwort) to regulate plant growth—a mechanism that is conserved in more recently evolved flowering plants.

Liverwort gene discovery reveals ancient mechanism behind plant reproductive growth

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Aug 01, 2025 Kobe University researchers have uncovered the genetic basis behind vegetative and sexual reproduction in liverworts, potentially offering insights into increasing crop yields and enabling space-based agriculture. The study focused on the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, a highly proliferative plant that reproduces through detachable gemmae and has proven ideal for genetic analysis. Plant