Building simulation models of developing plant organs using VirtualLeaf.

Area of Science:

• Computational Biology
• Plant Science
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Cell-based computational modeling is crucial for understanding plant development.
• These models simulate individual cell behaviors and interactions to predict emergent tissue patterns.
• Accessibility for experimental biologists with limited computational expertise remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a practical, step-by-step tutorial for building cell-based simulations of plant development.
• To introduce VirtualLeaf, an open-source software framework designed for this purpose.
• To lower the barrier for experimental plant biologists to engage in computational modeling.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the VirtualLeaf software framework for cell-based simulations.
• Developing models for growing tissues, reaction-diffusion systems on growing domains, and auxin transport.
• Demonstrating the practical application of the software through tutorials.

Main Results:

• Successful construction of models for plant tissue growth and development using VirtualLeaf.
• Demonstration of simulating reaction-diffusion systems and auxin transport within growing plant tissues.
• Validation of VirtualLeaf as an accessible tool for computational plant biology.

Conclusions:

• VirtualLeaf effectively facilitates the creation of cell-based simulations for plant development.
• The software empowers experimental biologists to explore complex developmental processes computationally.
• Increased accessibility of computational modeling can advance plant science research.