Phytochromes have a crucial role in the regulation of flowering in many plants, but the underlying molecular mechanisms vary among species. Recently, Lin et al. described a unique phytochrome A (phyA)-controlled photoperiodic flowering pathway in soybean (Glycine max), revealing a novel mechanism for photoperiodic regulation of flowering.

光敏色素在许多植物的开花调控过程中发挥至关重要的作用，但其潜在的分子机制却因物种而异。最近，Lin等人报道了大豆（Glycine max）中一种独特的光敏色素phyA控制的光周期开花途径，揭示了光周期调控开花的新机制。