Position matters: light repatterns m6A to tune anthocyanin accumulation in roses

Roses have played a significant part in human history, appearing in some of the earliest written records. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, they have carried symbolic meaning across millennia, including in the religions and cultures of many societies (Goody, 1993). Various traits have been bred over time, leading to the tens of thousands of rose varieties cultivated today. One such trait, petal coloration, reflects the accumulation (or absence) of pigments such as anthocyanins and carotenoids. Pigment production is tightly regulated during flower development and in response to environmental cues, including light (Winkel-Shirley, 2011). Understanding how pigment biosynthesis is controlled is therefore of major economic importance for rose breeders, both to enable the creation of new varieties and to predict how environmental conditions influence coloration.