Experiments identify important new role of chemical compounds in plant development
Purdue researchers have found that they can rescue the growth deficit of Arabidopsis thaliana plants with altered lignin composition by adding pinoresinol. Credit: Fabiola Muro-Villanueva) Researchers who manipulate lignin, a molecular fiber that allows plants to grow tall and transport water, unexpectedly discovered its synthesis has more far-reaching effects on plant development than previously suspected.