New gene discovery leads to larger plants and increased crop yields
A gene from rice called OsARGOS was inserted into Arabidopsis plants, leading to larger organs like leaves and seed pods compared to normal plants. This gene also increased root growth in the modified plants. Unlike similar genes in Arabidopsis, OsARGOS caused organ enlargement by increasing cell division and expansion. However, when OsARGOS was added to rice plants, there was no change in organ size. The expression of OsARGOS in Arabidopsis plants can control organ growth during development, potentially improving crop yield through genetic engineering.
