RNA reads of F3 descendants from cross of F. esculentum Dasha and F. esculentum ssp. ancestrale. RNA reads of F3 descendants from cross of F. esculentum Dasha and F. esculentum ssp. ancestrale

Seed shattering is an essential trait for wild plant species, but it is unacceptable in domesticated cultivars. Our study investigated anatomical and molecular mechanisms underlying seed shattering in common buckwheat. Our anatomical analysis revealed that both shattering and non-shattering phenotypes possess an AZ, but in non-shattering plants, it is underdeveloped and inactive. Transcriptomic analysis across four developmental stages (early bud, late bud, flower, and fruit) revealed that abscisic acid (ABA) regulation, ethylene signaling, and cell wall modification were key factors in AZ differentiation. Surprisingly, genes typically involved in activation of abscission layer on the flower stage, not in the fruit stage, as expected. This suggests early activation of AZ.