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Updated: Sep 12, 2025

An Induction System for Clustered Stomata by Sugar Solution Immersion Treatment in Arabidopsis thaliana Seedlings
Published on: February 15, 2019
The versatile role of guard cell starch in speedy stomata: Beyond Arabidopsis
Hongyuan Zhang1, Trang Dang1, Lucia Piro1
1Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Engineering rapid stomatal responses to improve the coordination between stomatal conductance and carbon assimilation under fluctuating light conditions is crucial for enhancing crop productivity while conserving water. To identify promising engineering targets, we applied machine learning models to analyze published data from diverse plant lineages to reveal the primary factors driving the natural variation in the speed of stomatal opening. We highlight the versatile role of guard cell starch in integrating and modulating some of these factors and suggest starch as a previously overlooked target for optimizing stomatal function.
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