How does a tiny molecule help shape the future of global food security? Researchers from the University of Tasmania have provided new insights into auxin, a master plant hormone, and its vital role in starch production—the powerhouse of the world’s most important crops.
Published in the prestigious Nature Communications, the team’s invited commentary explores how auxin regulates starch formation in rice, corn, and pea seeds.
“It turns out this tiny molecule holds the key to how plants store energy, particularly in the form of starch,” said Adjunct Professor John Ross, who co-authored the paper alongside Dr Erin McAdam.
Professor Ross described the discovery as a significant breakthrough for global food security.
To read the full article, click here: One secret to bigger, better crops lies in a tiny plant hormone | University of Tasmania
