Sugar Transport Protein Linked to Domestication Via Seed Size (IMAGE)
Caption
Sugars are manufactured in the leaves, when the plant turns the Sun's energy into chemical energy, and then transported to the seeds. The amount of sugars that fill a seed directly determines the seed's size. The ancestors of the modern maize planted today in the US and worldwide had much smaller endosperms. It is thought that seed sizes were increased by the selective pressures of agricultural domestication. Larger, more sugar-filled seeds such as maize kernels were more attractive to human cultivators, due to their nutritive value and their ability to produce sturdier seedlings. Images provided courtesy of Davide Sosso, lead author of this study.
Credit
Davide Sosso
Usage Restrictions
With credit
License
Licensed content