How plants balance woody xylem and fleshy tissues: Thermospermine targets methylated ribosomes

Scientists have identified a crucial mechanism that allows plants to shape their vascular systems, determining whether they grow soft edible storage organs or develop the rigid woody tissue characteristic of trees. Published in Science, research led by the University of Cambridge and University of Helsinki, reveals the regulatory dynamics that guide xylem formation, offering new insights into how plants build both structural and storage tissues.