Nectary Development & Evolution

The production and secretion of floral nectar is a key innovation in flowering plants (angiosperms) that attracts pollinators and facilitates sexual reproduction. Nearly 90% of all angiosperms and 76% of domestic crops benefit from such plant-pollinator interactions. Nectar is produced by specialized multicellular structures termed nectaries. Nectaries have evolved more than a hundred times across angiosperms. The evolution of nectaries significantly boosted genetic diversity of these lineages, accelerated their speciation, and expanded their habitats.

Our lab integrates genetic screening, biochemical profiling, quantitative live imaging, single-cell transcriptomics, and evolutionary comparisons to address key questions of nectary development and evolution.