BABYBOOM-like expression in the cowpea egg and central cellenables parthenogenesis, endosperm development, and viable haploid seed formation
Itzel Amasende-Morales, Osvaldo Ruíz-Maciel, Gloria León-Martínez, Joann A. Conner, Sailaja Bhogireddy, Quetzely Ortiz-Vasquez, Huanan Su, Juana de la Cruz, Judith Lúa, Karen Ramirez, Miguel Vallebueno‐Estrada, Stefano Bencivenga, Ramona Hartmann, Nial Rau Gursanscky, Matteo Riboni, , Jean-Philippe Vielle Calzada
The paper shows that expressing VuBBML1 in both egg and central cells of cowpea, along with central cell fertilization, enables parthenogenesis and viable haploid seed formation.
bioRxiv · Feb 10, 2026 · PreprintPlant Biology