The abstract is read at the publisher; the summary is JClub's.
A transcriptomic atlas across 14 Panicoideae grass species shows conserved leaf nitrogen remobilization networks, while underground sink establishment networks diverge, linked to seed-like dormancy and desiccation tolerance pathways.
- Why it matters: Annual crops like maize leave 30–50% of nitrogen in crop residue, risking environmental loss; perennial grasses instead route remobilized nitrogen into underground organs.
- What they did: Field-grown plants were profiled with 2,685 RNA-seq libraries across leaves, roots, stalks, and rhizomes over two seasons, using maize and sorghum as annual references and a photosynthetic index to align sink-to-source transitions.
- The result: Co-expression analysis indicates leaf remobilization subnetworks are preserved across annuals and perennials, but underground sink subnetworks diverge among annual crop accessions, suggesting candidate genes and networks to improve nitrogen retention.
The findingWhy it mattersWhat they didThe result
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