Rate of meristem initiation driven by the MADS-WUS axis contributes to floral survival and inflorescence evolution in grasses
Yongyu Huang, Shuangshuang Zhao, Guojing Jiang, Christian W. Hertig, Abdullah Shalmani, Di Peng, Kenan Tan, Twan L. M. Rutten, Zihao Zhu, Jinhong Kan, Andreas Maurer, Victor H. R. Nogueira, Amanda Souza Câmara, Ping Yang, Klaus Pillen, , Thorsten Schnurbusch
This study shows that the MADS-WUS axis regulates floral initiation rates in barley, influencing inflorescence architecture and reproductive strategies through allele selection and duplication.
bioRxiv · Sep 1, 2026 · PreprintPlant Biology