The avocado tree that changes gender daily has been defying traditional gender roles for 42 million years

Researchers discovered that avocados have a unique reproductive strategy involving a gene that controls their flowering behavior. This gene, SDMYB, allows avocado trees to alternate between male and female flowers at different times of the day, preventing self-pollination. The study, published by the University of California, reveals that this genetic mechanism is present in at least 26 related plant species. Understanding this gene can help avocado breeders improve crop yields and develop new varieties more efficiently.