Mechanisms that determine the size of plants have fascinated
plant scientists of all times, however they are far from understood. An
international research team led by plant scientists from VIB and Ghent
University report an important breakthrough in the scientific journal The Plant
Cell. They identified a protein complex that controls the transition from cell
division to cell specialization. By extending the activity of the complex
during leaf growth, more cells divide, giving rise to larger leaves. These
insights can now be used to guide plant breeding initiatives towards higher
plant productivity.