By contrast, the mean number of basal leaves per shoot actually explained slightly more variance in the number of inflorescences than did population alone, and adding population as a factor in combination with the number of basal leaves did not significantly improve the model fit (Fig. 5 a; Table 4).
We applied high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic analysis to small RNA populations derived from rice inflorescences under control, as well as drought, cold, and salt stresses.
Pre-reproductive apical dominance failed to explain the population differences in number of inflorescences.
Bolting date was also sufficient to explain the population differences in number of inflorescences, but it explained less variation than did population alone or the mean number of basal leaves per inflorescence.
Later bolting also showed a significant negative effect on the number of inflorescences, and adding population to the model did not produce a significant improvement in model fit (Fig. 5 b).
Repeated measures analysis to examine if the effect of plant origin (local or foreign) on progeny fitness varied between 12 and 24 months for the number of inflorescences including all population pairs.
To examine the effects of water in the bracts on nectar robber and pollinator preference, we randomly selected a subset of 10 dense plots at the Shama population, each plot containing 8 15 inflorescences (individuals) in 2010 (8 21 July) and 2011 (1 13 July).
We found a significant difference between local and foreign populations in the mean number of inflorescences (origin: P = 0.006, Table 1), but this varied among population pairs (origin × population pair: P = 0.003).
A similar pattern is seen on the end of LG 2 where QTL were detected in which the I. fulva allele is associated with increased inflorescence production (in the BCIB population) and higher numbers of floral nodes per inflorescence (in the BCIF population).
If so, differences among individual plants in measures of apical dominance (i.e. repression of lateral vegetative shoot development before flowering) would largely account for the between-population difference in number of inflorescences, with Mayodan plants showing greater apical dominance.
