Non-seed plant research in the spotlight

The Genetics Society Non-Seed Plant meeting brought together researchers embracing the diversity of plants and using emerging and established model systems covering hornworts, mosses, liverworts, lycophytes and ferns. This growing community of researchers is exploring fundamental questions on plant development, evolution and environmental responses. Highlights included cutting-edge work in bryophytes on meristem development, hormonal signalling and chromatin regulation, as well as advances in charophyte algae, illuminating the evolutionary origins of key plant traits. The meeting emphasized how non-seed plants, often overlooked in mainstream plant science, are now providing transformative insights into gene regulation, plant-environment interactions and crop improvement potential. These developments reflect a broader shift in plant biology, where diverse model systems are essential for reconstructing the evolutionary history of plants and addressing modern agricultural challenges.