PuSH - Publication Server of Helmholtz Zentrum München

Jørgensen, M.E.* ; Vequaud, D.* ; Wang, Y.* ; Andersen, C.B.* ; Bayer, M.* ; Box, A.* ; Braune, K.B.* ; Cai, Y.* ; Chen, F.* ; Cuesta-Seijo, J.A.* ; Dong, H.* ; Fincher, G.B.* ; Gojkovic, Z.* ; Huang, Z.* ; Jaegle, B.* ; Kale, S.M.* ; Krsticevic, F.* ; Le Roux, P.M.* ; Lozier, A.* ; Lu, Q.* ; Mascher, M.* ; Murozuka, E.* ; Nakamura, S.* ; Simmelsgaard, M.U.* ; Pedas, P.R.* ; Pin, P.A.* ; Podzimska-Sroka, D.* ; Sato, K.* ; Spannagl, M. ; Rasmussen, M.W.* ; Russell, J.* ; Schreiber, M.* ; Thomsen, H.C.* ; Thomsen, N.W.* ; Tulloch, S.* ; Voss, C.* ; Skadhauge, B.* ; Stein, N.* ; Willerslev, E.* ; Waugh, R.* ; Dockter, C.*

Postdomestication selection of MKK3 shaped seed dormancy and end-use traits in barley.

Science 391, 90-95 (2025)
DOI PMC
Closed: Publ. Version/Full Text online available 11/2026
Anthropogenic selection of grain traits such as dormancy has shaped the developmental trajectories of crops. In cereals, shortening dormancy provides rapid and even post-harvest germination, but increases the risk of weather-induced pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) with yearly harvest losses beyond 1 billion USD. Our understanding of how, why, when and where cereal dormancy diversification arose is fragmentary. Here, we show in the founder crop barley (Hordeum vulgare) that dormancy is primarily regulated through a mosaic of locus haplotypes comprising copy-number variation and inherent kinase activity of Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 (MKK3). We provide evidence supporting the historical selection of specific MKK3 haplotypes that shape dormancy levels according to changing climatic pressures and outline a genetic framework for breeders to balance grain dormancy and PHS-avoidance.
Altmetric
Additional Metrics?
[➜Log in]
Edit extra informations Login
Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Keywords Qtl; Evolution; Insights
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0036-8075
e-ISSN 1095-9203
Journal Science
Quellenangaben Volume: 391, Issue: 6780, Pages: 90-95 Article Number: , Supplement: ,
Publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Publishing Place 1200 New York Ave, Nw, Washington, Dc 20005 Usa
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Institute(s) Research Unit Plant Genome and Systems Biology (PGSB)
Grants Scottish Government, Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division
Innovation Foundation
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS KAKENHI)
BBSRC
Carlsberg Foundation