PIF transcription factors link a neighbor threat cue to accelerated reproduction in Arabidopsis

Abstract

In plants, phytochrome B senses light cues indicative of neighbouring competitors leading to accelerated flowering. Here the authors show that PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORs 4, 5 and 7 (PIF4, PIF5 and PIF7) mediate neighbor proximity-induced flowering acting downstream of phyB to promote expression of FT and TSF.