Barley possesses an indeterminate "spike"-type inflorescence that forms basic floral structures, called spikelets, in a distichous pattern along its central axis (termed rachis). Each rachis node in the barley spike produces three (one central and two lateral) spikelets.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The aim is to better develop the yield potential of the cereal plant. Credit: IPK Leibniz Institute/ T. Schnurbusch The end of spikelet primordia initiation along the rachis marks the stage of maximum yield potential. Subsequently, the inflorescence meristem dome starts to collapse, followed by gradual basipetal degeneration of spikelet primordia and spikelets until a specific position along the spike is reached. "We show that up to 50% of the initiated floral primordia are aborted before anthesis, representing an untapped yield potential," says Prof. Dr. Thorsten Schnurbusch, head of IPK's research group Plant Architecture. "Understanding the molecular underpinnings of spike PTD may thus help improve grain yield in cereals." A study on this topic is published in The Plant Cell. Due to its quantitative nature and environmental sensitivity,…