The role of the cotyledons after germination/during seedling development in Lupinus albus

The protein crop Lupinus albus stores large amounts of protein in the cotyledons. During epigeal germination the cotyledons emerge from the ground and become photosynthetically active. Proteome and metabolite profiles of the cotyledons demonstrate that (nitrogen) resource allocation from the cotyledons to the developing plant is able to fully support growth on nutrient-poor soils for a prolonged period of time/at least two weeks after germination and thus provides the opportunity to establish specialized structures such as root nodules required for the symbiosis with nitrogen fixing rhizobia and cluster roots improving phosphate uptake.