JERUSALEM, July 27 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli-led research team has found plants "know" when to grow and when to hold back, which may help cultivate better crops, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said in a statement on Monday.
The discovery, published in the journal Development, revealed how plants carefully control the formation of leaves and other organs by using a precise timing system involving two key hormones.
The researchers found the plant hormone auxin first slows down another hormone, gibberellin, allowing new structures to form in the right places. Later, auxin activates gibberellin, triggering rapid growth and expansion.
Using tomato plants, the study showed that changing the balance between the two hormones affected the number and size of leaves.
The researchers said the mechanism may also apply to the formation of flowers, roots, and other plant parts, potentially helping scientists create crops with optimized growth, higher yields, and greater resilience. ■
