Mapping barley development

19/01/2026 Research

New insights into the genetic control of barley development open up opportunities for targeted trait improvement.

Figure taken from: Demesa-Arevalo E, Dӧrpholz H, et int, Simon R (2026) Nature Plants. doi: 10.1038/s41477-025-02176-6.

A new study published in Nature Plants examines how gene activity changes during barley development, from the earliest meristem and organ founder cells to the formation of floral organs. By combining deep single-cell RNA sequencing with spatial gene expression data, the researchers can analyze over 40,000 genes at cellular resolution across multiple tissues, using the new web tool BARVISTA. This approach reveals previously hidden key transcriptional events and provides new opportunities for precisely targeted improvement of barley traits. The work represents a collaborative effort across several CEPLAS research groups, including CEPLAS postdocs and PhD students.

Original publication:
Demesa-Arevalo E, Dӧrpholz H, Vardanega I, Maika JE, Pineda-Valentino I, Eggels S, Lautwein T, Kӧhrer K, Schnurbusch T, von Korff M, Usadel B, Simon R (2026) Imputation integrates single-cell and spatial gene expression data to resolve transcriptional networks in barley shoot meristem development. Nature Plants. doi: 10.1038/s41477-025-02176-6.

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