Letting go with the flow: directional abscission of dandelion seeds

Abstract

Seed dispersal through wind was historically considered a random process; however, plants can influence their dispersal through non-random seed detachment or abscission. Dandelion seeds facing the wind tend to abscise before those facing downwind, yet the mechanism that supports this has remained unclear. We measured the force needed for abscission in different directions and performed imaging of the detachment process. This revealed an asymmetry in the seed attachment morphology, which results in massive differences in the abscission force needed relative to the direction. We developed a mechanistic model to explain this directional bias and identified morphological factors that determine the properties of seed abscission. This discovery highlights plant adaptations that shape the seed dispersal profile to enhance reproductive success and can be used to improve population dynamic models of wind-dispersed plants.