| Sumario: | <italic>Physcomitrium patens</italic> (formerly <italic>Physcomitrella patens</italic>), a model moss species, has emerged as an invaluable system for studying autophagy in plants. This review highlights the unique advantages of <italic>P. patens</italic> for autophagy research, including its efficient homologous recombination in mitotic cells, simple body plan, haploid-presiding life cycle, and accessibility to microscopic observation. I discuss recent advances in understanding autophagy mechanisms in <italic>P. patens</italic>, particularly focusing on the role of core autophagy-related (ATG) genes in growth, development, stress responses, and cell death. The characterization of autophagy-deficient mutants revealed unexpected roles of autophagy in promoting cell death under oxidative stress and desiccation, in contrast with classical survival functions. I also examine the conservation and divergence of the autophagy machinery between mosses and vascular plants, emphasizing how <italic>P. patens</italic> bridges evolutionary gaps in our understanding of plant autophagy. Finally, I outline future perspectives on the use of this model system to address fundamental questions about selective autophagy, autophagosome dynamics, and the integration of autophagy with developmental programs.
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