Modeling the Arabidopsis seed shape by a cardioid: efficacy of the adjustment with a scale change with factor equal to the Golden Ratio and analysis of seed shape in ethylene mutants.

A new model for the description of Arabidopsis seed shape based on the comparison of the outline of its longitudinal section with a transformed cardioid is presented. The transformation consists of scaling the horizontal axis by a factor equal to the Golden Ratio. The elongated cardioid approximates the shape of the Arabidopsis seed with more accuracy than other figures. The length to width ratio in wild-type Columbia Arabidopsis dry seeds is close to the Golden Ratio and decreases over the course of imbibition. Dry seeds of etr1-1 mutants presented a reduced length to width ratio. Application of the new model based on the cardioid allows for comparison of shape between wild-type and mutant genotypes, revealing other general alterations in the seeds in ethylene signaling pathway mutants (etr1-1). Copyright 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.