The molecular genetics of gametophytic apomixis

Apomixis gives rise to a novel prospect in agricultural production: the opportunity to establish genetically stable, seed-propagating clones of crops, which can perpetuate themselves across countless sporophytic generations. This asexual mode of reproduction, that naturally occurs in some angiosperms, may prove to be an unrivalled biotechnological tool to improve crop yields. Nevertheless, an exhaustive molecular characterisation of the phenomenon is still needed. This article presents the current stale of knowledge on the molecular genetic basis of gametophytic apomixis, and discusses the perspectives profiled by an extensive use of the character in agriculture.