A team from the University of Wisconsin–Madison has identified a new pathway that allows plants to detect gravity and orient their growth direction. This groundbreaking study, published on November 24, 2025, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could pave the way for advancements in agricultural practices aimed at optimizing crop yields.
Previous research established that a group of genes known as LAZY plays a crucial role in gravity detection within plants. In normal circumstances, these genes enable plant cells to interpret gravitational forces, guiding stems to grow upwards, branches to extend outwards, and roots to penetrate downwards. This controlled growth pattern enhances a plant’s ability to produce energy, maintain stability, and ensure survival.
When the LAZY genes are inactive, the affected plants exhibit disoriented growth patterns. These plants, referred to as LAZY plants, tend to sprawl along the ground, with stems bending in unintended directions.
In an effort to further understand the genetic mechanisms behind this phenomenon, co-authors Edgar Spalding, an emeritus professor of botany, and Takeshi Yoshihara, a research scientist at UW–Madison, focused their research on the model organism Arabidopsis, a type of small flowering plant. By disabling the LAZY genes, they aimed to uncover additional genetic pathways that might assist plants in recognizing gravity.
“We decided to mutate these LAZY plants, this plant that doesn’t know which way it’s going, and hope we hit a gene that somehow corrects the problem,” Spalding explained.
Through a methodical process of random mutations, the researchers examined thousands of variations before discovering a previously unstudied gene, termed SLQ1, or suppressor of LAZY quadruple 1. This finding proved significant, as they observed that when both the LAZY genes and SLQ1 were deactivated, the resulting plants exhibited upward growth instead of crawling along the soil.
The researchers discovered that the pathways regulated by these two sets of genes are situated in distinct cellular locations and operate independently. This suggests that plants may possess multiple mechanisms for gravity detection, with the SLQ1 pathway potentially serving as a backup system to compensate when the LAZY genes fail.
“There are many reasons plants may need more than one way of detecting gravity,” Spalding noted. He believes the SLQ1 pathway could enhance the plant’s adaptability by aiding growth in varied environmental conditions.
Understanding the relationship between gravity and plant growth could revolutionize crop cultivation techniques. With further investigation, insights gained from this research may enable agricultural producers to breed plants with improved root, stem, and branch architectures. This could facilitate easier harvesting, increase yields, and enhance crops’ resilience to environmental stresses.
This study received financial support from the National Science Foundation under grant number 2124689. As research continues, the implications of these findings could lead to significant advancements in how crops are cultivated and managed globally.
