start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=36 cd-vols= no-issue=5 article-no= start-page=1142 end-page=1155.e6 dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2026 dt-pub=202603 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Compound starch granule formation in grass seeds is associated with distinct temporal patterns of gene expression en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=There is extensive interspecies variation in starch granule morphology in the endosperm of grass species, but the factors underpinning this variation are poorly understood. The two major granule morphology types among species are simple and compound granules, where simple granules arise from a single initiation per amyloplast, and compound granules form from multiple granule initiations. Here, we carried out an extensive survey of seed starch morphology, examining specimens from 105 species within the Pooideae using electron microscopy. This not only expanded our current knowledge of the diversity of starch granule types but also confirmed the homoplasy of simple and compound starch granules. We then selected species representing independent origins of simple (Brachyelytrum japonicum, Phaenosperma globosa, and Brachypodium distachyon) and compound granules (Nardus stricta, Melica altissima, and Calamagrostis brachytricha) for analysis of starch structure and gene expression. There were no clear patterns in starch content, amylopectin structure, or amylose content that could distinguish the two granule types. However, comparative transcriptomics over seed development revealed gene expression patterns associated with granule type, most notably increasing expression of STARCH SYNTHASE 3a (SS3a), STARCH BRANCHING ENZYME 1 (SBE1), and limit dextrinases (LDAs) between 3 and 9 days post anthesis in species with compound granules. Mutation of these genes in rice, which natively produces compound granules, resulted in altered granule shape and/or size. Our work highlights differences in gene expression that could contribute to natural variation in granule morphology within the Pooideae while providing important new starch phenotype and gene expression datasets that can be widely used to study endosperm development. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=Watson-LazowskiAlexander en-aut-sei=Watson-Lazowski en-aut-mei=Alexander kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=FeikeDoreen en-aut-sei=Feike en-aut-mei=Doreen kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=NgaiQi Yang en-aut-sei=Ngai en-aut-mei=Qi Yang kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=EschLara en-aut-sei=Esch en-aut-mei=Lara kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=FujitaNaoko en-aut-sei=Fujita en-aut-mei=Naoko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=MatsushimaRyo en-aut-sei=Matsushima en-aut-mei=Ryo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=SmithAlison M. en-aut-sei=Smith en-aut-mei=Alison M. kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=SeungDavid en-aut-sei=Seung en-aut-mei=David kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Biological Production, Akita Prefectural University kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= en-keyword=amylopectin kn-keyword=amylopectin en-keyword=amylose kn-keyword=amylose en-keyword=endosperm kn-keyword=endosperm en-keyword=grasses kn-keyword=grasses en-keyword=starch kn-keyword=starch en-keyword=starch granule kn-keyword=starch granule en-keyword=transcriptomics kn-keyword=transcriptomics END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol= cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page= end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2026 dt-pub=20260409 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Rice EMF3 Alleles Adjust Flower Opening Time to Enhance the Seed Setting Rate Under High Temperature Stress en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=To safeguard global food security against rapid population growth and a warming world, the effective genetic improvement of cereals is imperative. Flower opening time (FOT) critically affects the seed setting rate. In this study, we identified a gene, EARLY-MORNING FLOWERING 3 (EMF3), in which single-nucleotide substitutions strongly modulate FOT in rice in a semi-dominant manner, resulting in wide variation in FOT from earlier to later FOT than the wild-type. EMF3 knock-out mutants showed significantly reduced FOT synchrony and disrupted anther dehiscence, leading to fertilisation failure. EMF3 encodes a plasma membrane-localised polypeptide of 723 amino acids with an armadillo repeat fold and four transmembrane segments. Furthermore, EMF3 is specifically expressed in the anthers starting from nighttime on the day of flowering, with substantial impacts on the transcriptomes of both anther and lodicule, which suggested an exclusive role of EMF3 in flowering events. Modifying EMF3 alleles of O. sativa enabled the adjustment of FOT among Oryza species and subspecies, potentially facilitating cross-fertilisation by overcoming one of the major challenges of inter-specific hybridisation to exploit heterosis. Introducing the EMF3 alleles with the earlier FOT into popular rice cultivars resulted in flowering at an earlier time of day when the temperature was cooler, efficiently increasing seed setting rate under heat stress. This discovery unveils the novel mechanism of anther control of flower opening time through the EMF3 gene, while also enabling the use of EMF3 alleles in breeding strategies for efficient fertilisation for increasing hybrid rice seed production and mitigating future heat-stress damage at flowering. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=IshizakiTakuma en-aut-sei=Ishizaki en-aut-mei=Takuma kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=HashidaYoichi en-aut-sei=Hashida en-aut-mei=Yoichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=HirabayashiHideyuki en-aut-sei=Hirabayashi en-aut-mei=Hideyuki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=SasakiKazuhiro en-aut-sei=Sasaki en-aut-mei=Kazuhiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=TokunagaHiroki en-aut-sei=Tokunaga en-aut-mei=Hiroki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=Simon]AdaEliza Vie M. en-aut-sei=Simon]Ada en-aut-mei=Eliza Vie M. kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=WakayamaMasataka en-aut-sei=Wakayama en-aut-mei=Masataka kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=TakaiToshiyuki en-aut-sei=Takai en-aut-mei=Toshiyuki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= en-aut-name=SaitoHiroki en-aut-sei=Saito en-aut-mei=Hiroki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=9 ORCID= en-aut-name=NaganoAtsushi J. en-aut-sei=Nagano en-aut-mei=Atsushi J. kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=10 ORCID= en-aut-name=SakakibaraHitoshi en-aut-sei=Sakakibara en-aut-mei=Hitoshi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=11 ORCID= en-aut-name=KojimaMikiko en-aut-sei=Kojima en-aut-mei=Mikiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=12 ORCID= en-aut-name=TakebayashiYumiko en-aut-sei=Takebayashi en-aut-mei=Yumiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=13 ORCID= en-aut-name=KimSung]Ryul en-aut-sei=Kim en-aut-mei=Sung]Ryul kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=14 ORCID= en-aut-name=MatsushimaRyo en-aut-sei=Matsushima en-aut-mei=Ryo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=15 ORCID= en-aut-name=ThomsonMichael J. en-aut-sei=Thomson en-aut-mei=Michael J. kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=16 ORCID= en-aut-name=SugimotoKazuhiko en-aut-sei=Sugimoto en-aut-mei=Kazuhiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=17 ORCID= en-aut-name=HibaraKen]Ichiro en-aut-sei=Hibara en-aut-mei=Ken]Ichiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=18 ORCID= en-aut-name=IshimaruTsutomu en-aut-sei=Ishimaru en-aut-mei=Tsutomu kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=19 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Tropical Agriculture Research Front, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Faculty of Agriculture, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=Biological Resources and Post-Harvest Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Tropical Agriculture Research Front, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) kn-affil= affil-num=9 en-affil=Tropical Agriculture Research Front, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) kn-affil= affil-num=10 en-affil=Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University kn-affil= affil-num=11 en-affil=Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University kn-affil= affil-num=12 en-affil=RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science kn-affil= affil-num=13 en-affil=RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science kn-affil= affil-num=14 en-affil=Rice Breeding Innovations Department, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) kn-affil= affil-num=15 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=16 en-affil=Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Metro Manila Philippines kn-affil= affil-num=17 en-affil=Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) kn-affil= affil-num=18 en-affil=18Graduate School of Agricultural Regional Vitalization, Kibi International University kn-affil= affil-num=19 en-affil=Biological Resources and Post-Harvest Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) kn-affil= en-keyword=EARLY-MORNING FLOWERING 3 kn-keyword=EARLY-MORNING FLOWERING 3 en-keyword=flower opening time kn-keyword=flower opening time en-keyword=heat stress kn-keyword=heat stress en-keyword=rice kn-keyword=rice en-keyword=seed setting rate kn-keyword=seed setting rate END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol= cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page= end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2026 dt-pub=20260210 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Starch Synthase 3 isoforms are essential for normal starch granule initiation in wheat endosperm en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract= en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=DingJinjin en-aut-sei=Ding en-aut-mei=Jinjin kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=FahyBrendan en-aut-sei=Fahy en-aut-mei=Brendan kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=MatsushimaRyo en-aut-sei=Matsushima en-aut-mei=Ryo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=JiangQiantao en-aut-sei=Jiang en-aut-mei=Qiantao kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=SeungDavid en-aut-sei=Seung en-aut-mei=David kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= en-keyword=resistant starch kn-keyword=resistant starch en-keyword=starch kn-keyword=starch en-keyword=starch granule kn-keyword=starch granule en-keyword=starch synthase kn-keyword=starch synthase en-keyword=wheat kn-keyword=wheat END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=137 cd-vols= no-issue=9 article-no= start-page=212 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2024 dt-pub=20240831 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Mutations in starch BRANCHING ENZYME 2a suppress the traits caused by the loss of ISOAMYLASE1 in barley en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=The genetic interactions among starch biosynthesis genes can be exploited to alter starch properties, but they remain poorly understood due to the various combinations of mutations to be tested. Here, we isolated two novel barley mutants defective in starch BRANCHING ENZYME 2a (hvbe2a-1 and hvbe2a-2) based on the starch granule (SG) morphology. Both hvbe2a mutants showed elongated SGs in the endosperm and increased resistant starch content. hvbe2a-1 had a base change in HvBE2a gene, substituting the amino acid essential for its enzyme activity, while hvbe2a-2 is completely missing HvBE2a due to a chromosomal deletion. Further genetic crosses with barley isoamylase1 mutants (hvisa1) revealed that both hvbe2a mutations could suppress defects in endosperm caused by hvisa1, such as reduction in starch, increase in phytoglycogen, and changes in the glucan chain length distribution. Remarkably, hvbe2a mutations also transformed the endosperm SG morphology from the compound SG caused by hvisa1 to bimodal simple SGs, resembling that of wild-type barley. The suppressive impact was in competition with floury endosperm 6 mutation (hvflo6), which could enhance the phenotype of hvisa1 in the endosperm. In contrast, the compound SG formation induced by the hvflo6 hvisa1 mutation in pollen was not suppressed by hvbe2a mutations. Our findings provide new insights into genetic interactions in the starch biosynthetic pathway, demonstrating how specific genetic alterations can influence starch properties and SG morphology, with potential applications in cereal breeding for desired starch properties. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=MatsushimaRyo en-aut-sei=Matsushima en-aut-mei=Ryo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=HisanoHiroshi en-aut-sei=Hisano en-aut-mei=Hiroshi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=KimJune-Sik en-aut-sei=Kim en-aut-mei=June-Sik kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=McNellyRose en-aut-sei=McNelly en-aut-mei=Rose kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=OitomeNaoko F. en-aut-sei=Oitome en-aut-mei=Naoko F. kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=SeungDavid en-aut-sei=Seung en-aut-mei=David kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=FujitaNaoko en-aut-sei=Fujita en-aut-mei=Naoko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=SatoKazuhiro en-aut-sei=Sato en-aut-mei=Kazuhiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Biological Production, Akita Prefectural University kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=Department of Biological Production, Akita Prefectural University kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=136 cd-vols= no-issue=4 article-no= start-page=94 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2023 dt-pub=202304 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=FLOURY ENDOSPERM 6 mutations enhance the sugary phenotype caused by the loss of ISOAMYLASE1 in barley en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Starch is a biologically and commercially important glucose polymer synthesized by plants as semicrystalline starch granules (SGs). Because SG morphology affects starch properties, mutants with altered SG morphology may be useful in breeding crops with desirable starch properties, including potentially novel properties. In this study, we employed a simple screen for mutants with altered SG morphology in barley (Hordeum vulgare). We isolated mutants that formed compound SGs together with the normal simple SGs in the endosperm and found that they were allelic mutants of the starch biosynthesis genes ISOAMYLASE1 (HvISA1) and FLOURY ENDOSPERM 6 (HvFLO6), encoding starch debranching enzyme and CARBOHYDRATE-BINDING MODULE 48-containing protein, respectively. We generated the hvflo6 hvisa1 double mutant and showed that it had significantly reduced starch biosynthesis and developed shrunken grains. In contrast to starch, soluble ƒ¿-glucan, phytoglycogen, and sugars accumulated to higher levels in the double mutant than in the single mutants. In addition, the double mutants showed defects in SG morphology in the endosperm and in the pollen. This novel genetic interaction suggests that hvflo6 acts as an enhancer of the sugary phenotype caused by hvisa1 mutation. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=MatsushimaRyo en-aut-sei=Matsushima en-aut-mei=Ryo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=HisanoHiroshi en-aut-sei=Hisano en-aut-mei=Hiroshi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=GalisIvan en-aut-sei=Galis en-aut-mei=Ivan kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=MiuraSatoko en-aut-sei=Miura en-aut-mei=Satoko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=CroftsNaoko en-aut-sei=Crofts en-aut-mei=Naoko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=TakenakaYuto en-aut-sei=Takenaka en-aut-mei=Yuto kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=OitomeNaoko F. en-aut-sei=Oitome en-aut-mei=Naoko F. kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=IshimizuTakeshi en-aut-sei=Ishimizu en-aut-mei=Takeshi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= en-aut-name=FujitaNaoko en-aut-sei=Fujita en-aut-mei=Naoko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=9 ORCID= en-aut-name=SatoKazuhiro en-aut-sei=Sato en-aut-mei=Kazuhiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=10 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=Department of Biological Production, Akita Prefectural University kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Biological Production, Akita Prefectural University kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=College of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=Department of Biological Production, Akita Prefectural University kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=College of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University kn-affil= affil-num=9 en-affil=Department of Biological Production, Akita Prefectural University kn-affil= affil-num=10 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=9 cd-vols= no-issue= article-no= start-page=3745 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2019 dt-pub=201936 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Imaging Amyloplasts in the Developing Endosperm of Barley and Rice en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Amyloplasts are plant-specific organelles responsible for starch biosynthesis and storage. Inside amyloplasts, starch forms insoluble particles, referred to as starch grains (SGs). SG morphology differs between species and SG morphology is particularly diverse in the endosperm of Poaceae plants, such as rice (Oryza sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare), which form compound SGs and simple SGs, respectively. SG morphology has been extensively imaged, but the comparative imaging of amyloplast morphology has been limited. In this study, SG-containing amyloplasts in the developing endosperm were visualized using stable transgenic barley and rice lines expressing amyloplast stroma-targeted green fluorescent protein fused to the transit peptide (TP) of granule-bound starch synthase I (TP-GFP). The TP-GFP barley and rice plants had elongated amyloplasts containing multiple SGs, with constrictions between the SGs. In barley, some amyloplasts were connected by narrow protrusions extending from their surfaces. Transgenic rice lines producing amyloplast membrane-localized SUBSTANDARD STARCH GRAIN6 (SSG6)-GFP were used to demonstrate that the developing amyloplasts contained multiple compound SGs. TP-GFP barley can be used to visualize the chloroplasts in leaves and other plastids in pollen and root in addition to the endosperm, therefore it provides as a useful tool to observe diverse plastids. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=MatsushimaRyo en-aut-sei=Matsushima en-aut-mei=Ryo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=HisanoHiroshi en-aut-sei=Hisano en-aut-mei=Hiroshi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil= Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= END