Abstract Detail



Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)

de Neve, Amber [1], Klein, Harry [1], Bartlett, Madelaine [1].

The development and evolution of unisexual flowers in Poaceae.

Grasses display a range of floral sexualities. Brachypodium distachyon and Avena sativa (oats) have hermaphroditic flowers with both female and male organs. Some Sorghum bicolor accessions have male and female flowers on a single inflorescence, while Zea mays (maize) has a male inflorescence at the top (the tassel) and female inflorescences at lower axillary buds (the ears). It is unknown exactly how unisexual flowers evolved from bisexual ones, and it is possible that unisexual flowers evolved several times in the grasses through different mechanisms. To understand these patterns, I will do a phylogenetic analysis of floral traits across Poaceae and look at the evolution of proteins involved in the development of unisexual flowers. One particular group of proteins I will focus on are involved in sugar signaling. Sugar signaling is one important aspect of floral specification, and the evolution of sugar signal responses could play a role in directing flower sexuality. Understanding the evolution and development of unisexual flowers has important implications for plant breeding, as plants with unisexual flowers allow humans to cross them more easily in crop improvement programs.


1 - University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Biology Department, 611 North Pleasant St., 221 Morrill 3, Amherst, MA, 01003, United States

Keywords:
development
floral development
evolution
floral evolution
maize
Poaceae.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo) Posters
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2020
Time: 5:00 PM Time and date to be determined
Number: PEV003
Abstract ID:432
Candidate for Awards:None


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