The buzz-pollinated genus Senna (Leguminosae) is outstanding for including species with monosymmetric flowers and species with diverse asymmetric, enantiomorphic (enantiostylous) flowers. To recognize patterns of homology, we dissected the floral symmetry character complex and explored corolla morphology in 60 Senna species and studied floral development of four enantiomorphic species. The asym...

The precise control of gene regulation, and hence, correct spatiotemporal tissue patterning, is crucial for plant development. Plant microRNAs can constrain the expression of their target genes at posttranscriptional levels. Recently, microRNA396 (miR396) has been characterized to regulate leaf development by mediating cleavage of its GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR (GRF) targets. miR396 is also prefe...

The precise control of gene regulation, and hence, correct spatiotemporal tissue patterning, is crucial for plant development. Plant microRNAs can constrain the expression of their target genes at posttranscriptional levels. Recently, microRNA396 (miR396) has been characterized to regulate leaf development by mediating cleavage of its GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR (GRF) targets. miR396 is also prefe...

Closure of carpels or angiospermy, a key developmental innovation, has been accomplished through different ontogenic routes among the flowering plants. The mechanism of angiospermy produces structural novelties in the gynoecium, which in turn affects the progamic phase. In this paper, we present the structural details of the gynoecium and functional attributes of the progamic phase of Hippophae...

Plants have many differences, like protandry, protogyny, etc. However, amidst these differences, all angiosperms have a common mechanism of flowering, i.e. concentric pattern of flowering (sepal, petal, stamen and carpel). The mechanism or the genes thorough which plants maintain boundaries between the four, sepal-petal-stamen-carpel, are also given due importance. Once a plant attains competen...

Individual grain weight is a major yield component in wheat. To provide a comprehensive understanding of grain weight determination, the carpel size at anthesis, grain dry matter accumulation, grain water uptake and loss, grain morphological expansion, and final grain weight at different positions within spikelets were investigated in a recombinant inbred line mapping population of bread wheat ...

Fruit and seed formation in plants is normally initiated after pollination and fertilization, and, in the absence of fertilization, flowers senesce. In the Arabidopsis thaliana mutant fruit without fertilization, a mutation in AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR8 (ARF8) results in the uncoupling of fruit development from pollination and fertilization and gives rise to seedless (parthenocarpic) fruit. Parthen...