Table of Contents
Contributors ix
Preface xii
1 Carpel Evolution Aurélie C.M. Vialette-Guiraud Charlie P. Scutt 1
1.1 The importance of having carpels 1
1.2 Hypotheses of carpel origin 3
1.3 A phylogenetic framework for studies of carpel evolution 7
1.4 A morphological portrait of the ancestral carpel 10
1.5 The genetic control of carpel development in the first flowering plants 12
1.6 A major role for the E-function in the origin of the carpel? 16
1.7 Carpel specification in monocots 18
1.8 Gene duplication and carpel evolution in the core eudicots 20
1.9 The A-function finds a role in fruit development 22
1.10 The multiple origins and mechanisms of syncarpy in the angiosperms 23
1.11 A fruit by any other name: evolutionary convergence between angiosperms and gymnosperms 26
References 27
2 Gynoecium Patterning in Arabidopsis: A Basic Plan Behind a Complex Structure Eva Sundberg Cristina Ferrándiz 35
2.1 Introduction 35
2.2 The basic plan in lateral organs 36
2.3 The Arabidopsis gynoecium 41
2.4 Genetic and hormonal factors controlling gynoecium development 43
2.5 Conclusion 57
Acknowledgements 57
References 57
3 The Ins and Outs of Ovule Development Raffaella Battaglia Monica Colombo Martin M. Kater 70
3.1 Introduction 70
3.2 Origin of the ovule 71
3.3 Ovule development in Arabidopsis 72
3.4 Sporophytic tissues 73
3.5 Gametophytic tissue 81
3.6 Interaction between the female gametophyte and the maternal sporophyte 91
3.7 Ovule identity determination 93
References 97
4 Fertilisation and Fruit Initiation Sara Fuentes Adam Vivian-Smith 107
4.1 Introduction 107
4.2 Pollination 110
4.3 Female receptivity and the cessation of gynoecial growth 113
4.4 Additional restraints on flower development and fruit initiation 115
4.5 Fertilisation 117
4.6 Hormonal cues during fruit initiation 123
4.7 RNA silencing during fruit initiation 141
4.8 Signal transduction from ovule to carpel and vascular canalisation 145
4.9 Current models of fruit initiation 147
4.10 Concluding remarks 150
Acknowledgements 151
References 151
5 Arabidopsis Fruit Development Antonio Martínez-Laborda Antonio Vera 172
5.1 Introduction 172
5.2 Morphology of the Arabidopsis silique 174
5.3 Determining the boundary between valve and replum: valve margin genes 177
5.4 The making of valves and replum requires repression of valve margin genes 179
5.5 Suppressors of the rpl phenotype: setting up territories 182
5.6 A model for patterning the mediolateral axis of the Arabidopsis silique 185
5.7 Auxin: a signaling molecule for the mediolateral axis? 192
5.8 A biotechnological view 195
Acknowledgements 196
References 196
6 Long-Distance Seed Dispersal Frank M. Schurr Orr Spiegel Ofer Steinitz Ana Trakhtenbrot Asaf Tsoar Ran Nathan 204
6.1 Introduction 205
6.2 Six generalizations on LDD mechanisms 214
6.3 A vector-based perspective on the evolution and predictability of long-distance seed dispersal 223
6.4 Future directions 230
Acknowledgements 231
References 231
7 Seed Dispersal and Crop Domestication: Shattering, Germination and Seasonality in Evolution Under Cultivation Dorian Q. Fuller Robin Allaby 238
7.1 Introduction 239
7.2 Loss of natural seed dispersal in wheat and barley: archaeobotanical evidence 240
7.3 Non-shattering in other cereals: rice, pearl millet and maize 246
7.4 The genetics of non-shattering cereals 249
7.5 Reduction in seed dispersal aids 252
7.6 Non-cereal alternative: appendage hypermorphy in fibre crops 254
7.7 Loss of natural seed dispersal in pulses and other crops 255
7.8 Germination traits in domestication: the importance of loss of dormancy 257
7.9 The genetic basis for dormancy and germination 260
7.10 Germination and seedling competition: changes in seed size 261
7.11 The genetics of seed size 271
7.12 Seasonality controls: photoperiodicity and vernalization 273
7.13 Discussion: evolution and development of domesticated seed traits 278
References 280
8 Factors Influencing the Ripening and Quality of Fleshy Fruits Cornelius S. Barry 296
8.1 Introduction 296
8.2 Control of fruit ripening 297
8.3 Transcription factors serve as master regulators of fruit ripening 298
8.4 Hormonal control of fruit ripening 302
8.5 The influence of light on fruit quality 306
8.6 The discovery of aroma and flavour genes in fruit 307
8.7 Cell wall changes influence fruit quality 309
8.8 The cuticle influences fruit quality and postharvest longevity 310
8.9 Genomics Resources 311
8.10 Conclusions and future perspectives 314
Acknowledgements 314
References 314
9 Parthenocarpy in Crop Plants Tiziana Pandolfini Barbara Molesini Angelo Spena 326
9.1 Introduction 326
9.2 Parthenocarpy 328
9.3 Auxin-synthesis parthenocarpy 329
9.4 Parthenocarpy via auxin signal transduction 330
9.5 Parthenocarpy via gibberellin signal transduction 334
9.6 Aucsia-silencing parthenocarpy 334
9.7 Auxin sensitivity and parthenocarpy 335
9.8 Apetalous parthenocarpy and the role of other floral organs 336
9.9 Stenospermocarpy 336
9.10 Parthenocarpy in perennial crop plants 337
9.11 Parthenocarpy and fruit crop breeding 337
9.12 From green plants to fruit crop plants 340
References 341
Index 346
