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Sugars Integrate External and Internal Signals in Regulating Shoot Branching.
Tianhao Wang1, Miao Miao1, Jinfeng Zhao1
1State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Plant, Cell & Environment
|September 3, 2025
Summary
Plant shoot branching, crucial for crop yield, is regulated by sugar availability. Sugars act as both energy sources and signals, influencing tiller bud development and plant architecture.
Area of Science:
- Plant Physiology
- Molecular Biology
- Crop Science
Background:
- Plant phenotypes display significant plasticity, with shoot branching being a key trait influencing crop yield.
- Photosynthate availability, primarily sugars like sucrose, is a critical factor controlling shoot branching (tillering).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent discoveries on sugar metabolism, transport, and signaling in regulating plant shoot branching.
- To explore the role of sugars in mediating environmental influences on branching.
- To understand sugar-phytohormone interactions in bud outgrowth.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing recent research findings.
- Focus on sugar synthesis, metabolism, loading, unloading, and signaling pathways.
- Analysis of environmental modulation and hormonal interactions affecting branching.
Main Results:
- Sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, trehalose-6-phosphate) serve dual roles as energy sources and signaling molecules.
- Sucrose hydrolysis in sink tissues fuels tiller bud development and elongation.
- Sugars are integral to environment-induced branching and interact with phytohormonal pathways.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive understanding of sugar dynamics is essential for optimizing plant architecture and crop yield.
- Targeting sugar metabolism and signaling pathways offers potential for improving plant architecture.
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