Spatial Decoupling of the Endodermal Functions Establishes the Innermost Cortex as the Gravity Sensor in Rice Stems
Rohan Kashyap, Zeenu Singh, Akshay Kumar, Yash Gupta, Amit Kumar, Shruti Singh, Stefan Jouannic, Veronique Bergougnoux, Kalika Prasad, Pascal Gantet, Shri Ram Yadav
The paper identifies a specialized cell layer in rice stems that functions as a gravity sensor, distinct from the lignified endodermis, and shows its role in gravitropic responses through starch sedimentation and auxin signaling.
bioRxiv · Nov 2, 2026 · PreprintPlant Biology