Plant domestication articles from across Nature Portfolio

Seed dormancy is the preferred trait in rice production as it can prevent preharvest sprouting. Here, the authors report that MODD (mediator of OsbZIP46 deactivation and degradation) negatively regulates seed dormancy by inhibiting the transcriptional activity of ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVES (ABIs).

Existing genetics and genomics studies of peppers mainly focus on single species. Here, the authors report a pepper graph pan-genome and a genome variation map of 500 accessions from five domesticated species and close wild relatives to reveal their domestication, introgression and population differentiation.

By assembling a high-quality carrot reference genome and resequencing 630 accessions, a study by Coe et al. reveals the transformative journey of carrot from wild progenitor to modern cultivar and the concomitant accumulation of carotenoids in its taproot.

The wild relatives of our modern crops are of inestimable importance. Their domestication promoted the rise of civilizations and shaped cultures, and they are treasure troves for maintaining food security. However, shrinkage of their populations worldwide demands better conservation to retain their valuable biodiversity.

The failure of Liberica coffee as a global crop plant by the turn of the twentieth century was due to a number of factors, including the inappropriate selection of material for global dissemination. Renewed interest in this species, particularly in the excelsa variant, is evident across the coffee supply chain. In a warming world, and in an era beset with supply chain disruption, Liberica coffee could re-emerge as a major crop plant.

The long and trailing vines of most cucurbits represent an undomesticated trait that hampers dense planting and yields, and also incurs a high labour cost. A targeted artificial evolution strategy was developed to suppress stem elongation of cucurbits in a dose-dependent manner, thereby enhancing yield and reducing labour costs.