Introducing asexual reproduction through seeds – apomixis – into crop species could revolutionize agriculture by allowing F1 hybrids with enhanced yield and stability to be clonally propagated. Engineering synthetic apomixis has proven feasible in inbred rice through the inactivation of three genes (MiMe), which results in the conversion of meiosis into mitosis in a line ectopically expressing the BABYBOOM1 (BBM1) parthenogenetic trigger in egg cells. However, only 10–30% of the seeds are clonal. Here, we show that synthetic apomixis can be achieved in an F1 hybrid of rice by inducing MiMe mutations and egg cell expression of BBM1 in a single step. We generate hybrid plants that produce more than 95% of clonal seeds across multiple generations. Clonal apomictic plants maintain the phenotype of the F1 hybrid along successive generations. Our results demonstrate that there is no barrier to almost fully penetrant synthetic apomixis in an important crop species, rendering it compatible with use in agriculture.

Germination is a traditional process and a re-emerging trend in healthy foods, resulting a progressively increase in scientific research on their nutritional traits and phytochemical contents. This review examines the physiological and biochemical changes during the germination sensu stricto in pulses, taking into consideration the genotype, environmental conditions, hormone control, and the metabolic transition from seed to seedling. Germination sensu stricto is achieved as soon as elongation of the radicle, implies heterotrophy metabolism; further thermal processing is needed before consumption. In contrast, seedlings production requires a long period of imbibition and can provide a ready-to-eat food product. Furthermore, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and antinutritional compounds of pulses are described. Impacts of food processing, such as soaking, germination, and cooking, in nutritional and antinutritional values are also evaluated. The association of soaking, germination, and cooking increases the nutritional values of pulses by increasing protein/starch digestibility and vitamins content and by decreasing antinutritional compounds. The final plant-based product allows versatility in formulation to produce novel food products and/or ingredients with better nutritional content. This can encourage the scientific community, industry, and government to invest in research and development to increase germinated pulse-based food, to replace other products, or to develop new ones.