Research description

Seeds represent the main propagule of spermatophyte plants and constitute a key element for both plant species survival and agricultural production. The acquisition of desiccation tolerance during seed maturation, the establishment of dormancy and the control of germination are fundamental adaptive strategies that allow seeds to ensure seedling emergence under favourable environmental conditions.

From an agronomic perspective, irregular or incomplete germination is incompatible with modern agriculture and is further aggravated by environmental fluctuations associated with climate change. Seed vigour, defined as the ability of a seed to germinate efficiently across a wide range of environmental conditions, therefore represents a critical trait for food security. However, the molecular and physiological mechanisms regulating seed vigour remain far from being fully understood.

The Seed Environmental Perception and Adaptation group investigates how seeds integrate environmental cues with internal developmental programmes to regulate seed maturation, dormancy and germination.

The group’s approach places the seed as a functional unit of environmental adaptation, prioritising the study of physiological and cellular processes and their integration with gene regulation.

Research lines

Environmental perception processes and seed vigour

This research line focuses on understanding how seeds perceive and integrate environmental signals to modulate germination behaviour, with particular emphasis on seed vigour as a key agricultural trait. We analyse the physiological and molecular changes associated with different stages of seed development (maturation and germination) and their responses to environmental factors such as temperature, salinity and water availability.

Analysis of sensu stricto germination in Chenopodium quinoa seeds under salt stress, combined with seed microscopy during germination and global gene expression analysis by RNA-seq comparing tolerant and non-tolerant accessions.

These studies are conducted in both model species (Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon) and crops of agronomic interest (Chenopodium quinoa, Hordeum vulgare and Brassica rapa). The ultimate goal is to identify molecular markers and functional traits associated with seed vigour and adaptation to variable environments, integrating molecular and physiological analyses with validation under controlled and field conditions.

Within this framework, the group works actively with Chenopodium quinoa as a crop of strategic interest due to its tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. As part of the Quinoa4Med (PRIMA-EU) project, seed responses to abiotic stress are analysed to identify traits associated with adaptation to Mediterranean and marginal environments.

Expression análisis of the HvMAN genes, mannan immunolocalization and HvMAN1 spatial localization by mRNA in situ hybridization upon barley seed germination. (Iglesias-Fernández et al. 2018. Frontiers in Plant Science. 10, pp.1706 (Que este enlazado a https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.01706/full)

Autophagy and cellular remodelling during seed development and germination

A second research line addresses the role of autophagy and other cellular remodelling processes during seed development and germination. Although autophagy is a well-characterised catabolic process in other biological contexts, its specific function in seeds remains only partially understood.

Histochemical analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds during germination. The upper panel shows lipid quantification, whereas the lower panel displays carbohydrate and protein analyses in wild-type and autophagy mutant seeds.

Localization of an autophagy-related factor using immunofluorescence combined with phase-contrast microscopy in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds during germination and in autophagy mutants.

In our group, we investigate the involvement of autophagic mechanisms in storage protein accumulation during seed maturation and in reserve mobilisation and selective protein degradation during seed imbibition, particularly in response to adverse environmental conditions. These studies employ physiological, genetic, immunohistochemical and transcriptomic approaches, allowing the analysis of these processes at both cellular and tissue levels.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis using RNA-seq in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds to identify gene expression changes associated with germination under control conditions and in autophagy mutants.

Schematic overview of autophagy-related mechanisms during seed development and germination, illustrating vesicle trafficking pathways, reserve mobilisation and the role of autophagic factors in regulating seed maturation, imbibition and germination. Iglesias-Fernández and Vicente-Carbajosa, 2022, Pants, 11. pp. 3247

This integrative approach is centred on understanding seed behaviour as a functional unit of environmental adaptation and on applying this knowledge to real agricultural systems.

The applied orientation of this research has been recognised with the First Prize UPM2T 2025.