In Daucus carota L. (Apiaceae) the florets comprising the central umbellet of inflorescences are usually pink or dark purple, presenting a marked contrast to the surrounding umbellets, which are generally white. The number of dark florets varies, and some inflorescences have no dark florets. It has been proposed that the dark florets function as an insect mimic, and in so doing serve to attract...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Why are sterile anthers and carpels retained in some flowering plants, given their likely costs? To address this question, a cryptically dioecious species, Petasites tricholobus, in which male and female plants each have two floret types that appear pistillate and hermaphroditic, was studied. The aim was to understand the function of sterile hermaphroditic florets in females...

Coordinated functioning of the cob and florets of the maize ear confers grain yield. The cob is critical for carbon partitioning and assimilated nitrogen (N) supply for grain development. However, molecular recognition of the cob and peripheral florets, characterization of genes mediating translocation of N assimilates, and responses of these two tissues to low N (LN) remain elusive. Transcript...

Wheat yield is largely determined during the period prior to flowering, when the final numbers of fertile florets and grains per spike are established. The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of floret primordia development in winter wheat in response to pre-anthesis application of a synthetic cytokinin, 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA). We conducted an experiment in which two foliar spray t...

Spike fertility traits are critical attributes for grain yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Here, we examine the genotypic variation in three important traits: maximum number of floret primordia, number of fertile florets, and number of grains. We determine their relationship in determining spike fertility in 30 genotypes grown under two contrasting conditions: field and greenhouse. The max...

Chrysanthemum morifolium, one of the most economically important ornamental crops worldwide, is well-known for the elaborate and complex inflorescence which is composed of both bilaterally symmetrical ray florets and radially symmetrical disc florets. Despite continuing efforts, the molecular mechanisms underlying regulation of the two flower types are still unclear so far. CYC-like proteins ha...

The relationship between sucrose (Suc) and ascorbate (AA) metabolism was investigated in harvested broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) florets. Decreases in both Suc and AA content were observed in broccoli florets 48 h after all the leaves were excised, but none were observed when the plants were kept intact or with leaves attached in a room at 20 degrees C. In harvested broccoli plan...

Sulforaphane is a phytochemical that is usually found in cruciferous vegetables and is known to have a depressive effect on gastric cancer. Preliminary investigations showed that the sulforaphane concentration in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) florets increased under anoxia. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the effect of different atmospheric conditions on the sulforaphan...

Yield in rice (Oryza sativa) is determined by three major components: panicle number per plant, grain weight and grain/ spikelet number per panicle (Zhou et al., 2015). Grain number per panicle is one of the main targets and mainly results from the number of spikelets. Traditionally, rice breeders have focused on the improvement of spikelet number per panicle and rarely focused on the number of...

In plant-pollinator interactions, pollinating insects provide reproductive service to plants and receive food rewards. Flowers advertise the presence of nectar or pollen through various characteristics, including visual displays. In daisies (Chrysanthemum frutescens), the center of the inflorescence appears as a UV-absorbing bull’s-eye that attracts pollinators, for example honeybees. Thomisus ...