Regulation of Plant Development

This book presents a comprehensive overview of the molecular genetic mechanisms governing plant vegetative and reproductive development, focusing on findings in the past 10-15 years. Plants development, including organogenesis, occurs throughout the life with meristems continuing to generate cells for new organs. Moreover, flowering plants have distinct reproductive structures and processes different from other plants, including flowers, double fertilization, and fruits, leading to the great success of angiosperms. In the past decades, rapid progresses have been made with new insights into regulatory mechanisms of plant development using model plants including Arabidopsis and rice. This book brings together contributions from leading experts and synthesizes major advances in root and shoot development, floral induction, gametophyte formation, fertilization, and seed development. It presents cutting-edge discoveries on gene regulatory networks, cellular dynamics, epigenetic control, and environmental adaptation, highlighting the integration of these pathways to shape plant form and productivity. This book is an authoritative reference for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and scientists in plant biology, crop genetics, and biotechnology. The book also serves as a valuable platform for researchers seeking to understand and engineer key traits in crop species, with its synthesis of developmental mechanisms with resilience under environmental stress, along with knowledge on reproductive regulation and yield-related traits, as a reference for those engaged in genetic improvement and sustainable agriculture.