Characterization of Heat Responsive microRNAs and Phased Small Interfering RNAs in Reproductive Development of Flax

Plants will face increased heat stress due to rising global temperatures. Heat stress affects plant reproductive development and decreases productivity; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms of these processes are poorly characterized. Plant small RNAs (sRNAs) have important regulatory roles in plant reproductive development following abiotic stress responses. We generated sRNA transcriptomes of three reproductive bud stages at three different time points to identify sRNA-mediated pathways responsive to heat stress in flax.