Convergent innovation of (crypto)vivipary via asymmetric dismantling of seed desiccation and dormancy machinery.

Convergent evolution of (crypto)vivipary in angiosperms results from the targeted loss of seed desiccation and dormancy machinery, not new genes or master regulators.

• Why it matters: Understanding how plants support continuous embryo development without losing stress tolerance is crucial for insights into seed biology and adaptation, filling a significant knowledge gap.
• What they did: The study combined phylogenomic analysis, transcriptomics, and functional tests on 38 shared gene contractions and lineage-specific losses across multiple lineages, including gene disruptions in Arabidopsis.
• The result: Findings reveal that dismantling seed-specific modules enables (crypto)vivipary, providing a molecular framework for how seed developmental fate can be uncoupled from stress responses, with implications for plant evolution and breeding.