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In the new DFG-funded TaxGen project, the Thünen Institute for Forest Genetics, together with the DRESDEN-concept Genome Center, is investigating the genetic basis of sex determination in the dioecious conifer species European yew (Taxus baccata).

Branches of a female yew in autumn. The seeds are enveloped by red arils.

Although most plant species are hermaphrodites, the separation of the sexes (dioecy) evolved in many tree species and various crop plants. Nevertheless, the underlying genetic basis remains largely elusive. An international team led by the Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics showed that a single…