Abstract
In flowering plants, the arrangement of flowers on a stem becomes an inflorescence, and a huge variety of inflorescence architecture occurs in nature. Inflorescence architecture also affects crop yield. In simple inflorescences, flowers form on a main stem; by contrast, in compound inflorescences, flowers form on branched stems and the branching pattern defines the architecture of the inflorescence. In this review, we highlight recent findings on the regulation of inflorescence architecture by cytokinin plant hormones. Results in rice (Oryza sativa) and Arabidopsis thaliana show that although these two species have distinct inflorescence architectures, cytokinins have a common effect on inflorescence branching. Based on these studies, we discuss how cytokinins regulate distinct types of inflorescence architecture through their effect on meristem activities.
Highlights
Plants have an enormous, striking diversity of forms, with varying numbers and arrangements of organs in different sizes and shapes; this diversity derives from regulation of meristem activity
The aerial organs of a plant come from the shoot apical meristem (SAM) which gives rise to leaves, stem, and axillary meristems during the vegetative stage and transforms into the inflorescence meristem (IM) after the floral transition
Following Weberling’s (1989) suggestions, inflorescence architectures can be broadly grouped into inflorescences without branching and inflorescences with branching
Summary
Plants have an enormous, striking diversity of forms, with varying numbers and arrangements of organs in different sizes and shapes; this diversity derives from regulation of meristem activity. We discuss how cytokinins regulate distinct types of inflorescence architecture through their effect on meristem activities. These BMs may initiate secondary BMs to form lateral branches and spikelet meristems (SMs) that initiate FMs (Figure 1E).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
