Plants experience a form of menopause too

In plants with a single reproductive cycle, known as monocarpic plants, the onset of reproduction is signaled by the emergence of their first flowers. The triggers for flowering—such as light, seasonal changes, temperature, and the plant’s age—have been extensively studied. Yet, another critical reproductive milestone has received less attention: its conclusion. In many species, after producing a certain number of fruits, flower production ceases entirely. This halt is driven by the shutdown of meristems, the reservoirs of stem cells responsible for sustaining plant growth and organ development.
 
“This process, known as proliferative arrest, could be thought of as a kind of plant menopause,” explains Cristina Ferrándiz Maestre, a researcher at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (IBMCP) and co-author of the study published in Current Biology. She elaborates: “Proliferative arrest represents a significant evolutionary adaptation. By halting the formation of new organs like flowers and fruits, the plant redirects nutrients toward seed production, ensuring their optimal development and the survival of the species.”
 
Many economically vital crops, such as legumes and cereals, are annual monocarpic plants that flower just once before exhausting their resources and dying. Proliferative arrest is a widespread phenomenon across diverse species, making the findings of this study highly relevant. They open the door to innovative biotechnological strategies aimed at boosting crop yields—either by extending the flowering period or delaying the onset of proliferative arrest.
 
The research was conducted by a team of scientists at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (IBMCP), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV).
 

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