Apomixis or asexual reproduction through seeds occurs in about 400 species of flowering plants producing genetically uniform progeny. During apomixis, meiosis is bypassed and embryos develop by parthenogenesis. However, the endosperm could form either autonomously without fertilization or sexually, depending on the plant species. Most probably, a heterochronic expression of sexually expressed genes is one of the reason that causes apomixis. A better understanding of the genetic components regulating apomixis is important for developmental and evolutionary studies and also for engineering apomixis traits into crop plants that may realize a possibility to propagate hybrid vigor in a range of subsequent generations.

Original languageEnglish
Article number45
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Biosciences
Volume44
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jun 2019

    Scopus subject areas

  • Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)

    Research areas

  • Apomixis-associated genes, asexual reproduction, heterosis, sexual reproduction, INDEPENDENT SEED DEVELOPMENT, CANDIDATE GENES, GAMETE FORMATION, MEIOSIS, POLYCOMB GROUP GENE, ENDOSPERM DEVELOPMENT, ARABIDOPSIS, EMBRYOGENESIS, EXPRESSION, MICRODISSECTION

ID: 41168344