Seed tissue and nutrient partitioning in perispermic pseudocereals – PeriSeed

Seed structure is central to modern agricultural production because it influences yield and nutrient composition. Flowering plants evolved a large spectrum of seed architectures through natural and human selection. Three major types of seed architectures have been characterized according to the volume ratios of embryo, endosperm, and the nucellus maternal tissue. Whereas the roles of endosperm and embryo have been partially elucidated, less is known about nucellus development which accumulates most of the nutrients in perispermic seeds. Economical interest in perispermic pseudocereals is growing exponentially with Amaranthus being considered the grain of the twenty-first century. The project aims at deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying tissue and nutrient partitioning in Amaranthus perispermic seeds.