Annual Plant Reviews, Fruit Development and Seed Dispersal

Preface

1 Carpel Evolution

Aur´elie C.M. Vialette-Guiraud and Charlie P. Scutt

1.1 The importance of having carpels

1.2 Hypotheses of carpel origin

1.3 A phylogenetic framework for studies of carpel evolution

1.4 A morphological portrait of the ancestral carpel

1.5 The genetic control of carpel development in the first flowering plants

1.6 A major role for the E-function in the origin of the carpel?

1.7 Carpel specification in monocots

1.8 Gene duplication and carpel evolution in the core eudicots

1.9 The A-function finds a role in fruit development

1.10 The multiple origins and mechanisms of syncarpy in the angiosperms

1.11 A fruit by any other name: evolutionary convergence between angiosperms and gymnosperms

References

2 Gynoecium Patterning in Arabidopsis: A Basic Plan Behind a Complex Structure

Eva Sundberg and Cristina Ferrándiz

2.1 Introduction

2.2 The basic plan in lateral organs

2.3 The Arabidopsis gynoecium

2.4 Genetic and hormonal factors controlling gynoecium development

2.5 Conclusion

Acknowledgements

References

3 The Ins and Outs of Ovule Development

Raffaella Battaglia, Monica Colombo and Martin M. Kater

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Origin of the ovule

3.3 Ovule development in Arabidopsis

3.4 Sporophytic tissues

3.5 Gametophytic tissue

3.6 Interaction between the female gametophyte and the maternal sporophyte

3.7 Ovule identity determination

References

4 Fertilisation and Fruit Initiation

Sara Fuentes and Adam Vivian-Smith

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Pollination

4.3 Female receptivity and the cessation of gynoecial growth

4.4 Additional restraints on flower development and fruit initiation

4.5 Fertilisation

4.6 Hormonal cues during fruit initiation

4.7 RNA silencing during fruit initiation

4.8 Signal transduction from ovule to carpel and vascular canalisation

4.9 Current models of fruit initiation

4.10 Concluding remarks

Acknowledgements

References

5 Arabidopsis Fruit Development

Antonio Martínez-Laborda and Antonio Vera

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Morphology of the Arabidopsis silique

5.3 Determining the boundary between valve and replum: valve margin genes

5.4 The making of valves and replum requires repression of valve margin genes

5.5 Suppressors of the rpl phenotype: setting up territories

5.6 A model for patterning the mediolateral axis of the Arabidopsis silique

5.7 Auxin: a signaling molecule for the mediolateral axis?

5.8 A biotechnological view

Acknowledgements

References

6 Long-Distance Seed Dispersal

Frank M. Schurr, Orr Spiegel, Ofer Steinitz, Ana Trakhtenbrot, Asaf Tsoar and Ran Nathan

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Six generalizations on LDD mechanisms

6.3 A vector-based perspective on the evolution and predictability of long-distance seed dispersal

6.4 Future directions

Acknowledgements

References

7 Seed Dispersal and Crop Domestication: Shattering, Germination and Seasonality in Evolution Under Cultivation

Dorian Q. Fuller and Robin Allaby

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Loss of natural seed dispersal in wheat and barley:

archaeobotanical evidence

7.3 Non-shattering in other cereals: rice, pearl millet and maize

7.4 The genetics of non-shattering cereals

7.5 Reduction in seed dispersal aids

7.6 Non-cereal alternative: appendage hypermorphy in fibre crops

7.7 Loss of natural seed dispersal in pulses and other crops

7.8 Germination traits in domestication: the importance of loss of dormancy

7.9 The genetic basis for dormancy and germination

7.10 Germination and seedling competition: changes in seed size

7.11 The genetics of seed size

7.12 Seasonality controls: photoperiodicity and vernalization

7.13 Discussion: evolution and development of domesticated seed traits

References

8 Factors Influencing the Ripening and Quality of Fleshy Fruits

Cornelius S. Barry

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Control of fruit ripening

8.3 Transcription factors serve as master regulators of fruit ripening

8.4 Hormonal control of fruit ripening

8.5 The influence of light on fruit quality

8.6 The discovery of aroma and flavour genes in fruit

8.7 Cell wall changes influence fruit quality

8.8 The cuticle influences fruit quality and postharvest longevity

8.9 Genomics Resources

8.10 Conclusions and future perspectives

Acknowledgements

References

9 Parthenocarpy in Crop Plants

Tiziana Pandolfini, Barbara Molesini and Angelo Spena

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Parthenocarpy

9.3 Auxin-synthesis parthenocarpy

9.4 Parthenocarpy via auxin signal transduction

9.5 Parthenocarpy via gibberellin signal transduction

9.6 Aucsia-silencing parthenocarpy

9.7 Auxin sensitivity and parthenocarpy

9.8 Apetalous parthenocarpy and the role of other floral organs

9.9 Stenospermocarpy

9.10 Parthenocarpy in perennial crop plants

9.11 Parthenocarpy and fruit crop breeding

9.12 From green plants to fruit crop plants

References

Index