RNA-seq of developing maize ears

The goal of this project was to identify the genes underlying carpel suppression in maize ear lower flowers by utilizing a population segregating for grassy tillers1 (gt1) and vrs1-like1 (vrl1). Maize ear lower flowers typically have repressed carpels. In maize gt1; vrl1 double mutants, the ear lower flower bears de-repressed carpels. This project is relevant to understanding the regulation of growth suppression as a tool for crop engineering and de novo domestication.