Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are known to regulate transposon activity in germ cells of several animal models that propagate sexually. However, the role of piRNAs during asexual reproduction remains almost unknown. Aphids that can alternate sexual and asexual reproduction cycles in response to seasonal changes of photoperiod provide a unique opportunity to study piRNAs and the piRNA pathway i...

Sexual reproduction is essential for the life cycle of most angiosperms. However, pseudovivipary is an important reproductive strategy in some grasses. In this mode of reproduction, asexual propagules are produced in place of sexual reproductive structures. However, the molecular mechanism of pseudovivipary still remains a mystery. In this work, we found three naturally occurring mutants in ric...

Populations of Allium vineale commonly include individuals with very different allocation patterns to three modes of reproduction: sexual flowers, aerially produced asexual bulbils, and belowground asexual offsets. If selection is currently acting to maintain these different allocation patterns there must be a genetic basis for variation in allocation to these three reproductive modes. In addit...

This study scans into past of ancient man and discusses meticulously how the reproductive organ Lingam became sacred object to Hindus and why a sufi wore a phallus shaped head-dress resembling to it. In this manner the author demystifies here the procreation, the law of nature.