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Updated: Dec 30, 2025
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Identification of the Genes Involved in Stomatal Development via Epidermal Phenotype Scoring
Published on: January 20, 2023
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Stomatal development in the grasses: lessons from models and crops (and crop models)
Katelyn H McKown1, Dominique C Bergmann2,3
1Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
The New Phytologist
|January 28, 2020
Summary
Grass stomatal development, crucial for crop engineering, differs significantly from model plants. Understanding its genetic regulation offers insights into improving water and carbon cycles.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Genetics
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Plants evolved a waxy cuticle and stomata for land survival, enabling gas and water exchange.
- Stomata are vital for plant physiology and global carbon/water cycles.
- Knowledge of stomatal development genetics is largely confined to Arabidopsis thaliana, a dicot model.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the genetic regulation of stomatal development in grasses.
- To highlight the unique aspects of grass stomatal development compared to dicots.
- To explore prospects for crop engineering through understanding grass stomata.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genetic investigations in cereal crops.
- Studies utilizing model grass species like Brachypodium distachyon.
- Review of existing literature on stomatal development.
Main Results:
- Grass stomatal development follows a distinct pathway compared to Arabidopsis.
- Grass stomatal complexes are uniquely four-celled and environmentally responsive.
- Comparative studies reveal conserved and divergent genetic mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Understanding grass stomatal genetics is key for agricultural crop improvement.
- Grass stomatal development presents unique opportunities for engineering efficient crop traits.
- Further research in model grasses and cereals will advance crop engineering.
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