Transcriptome and Metabolome Combined Analysis of Flower Bud Differentiation in Michelia 'Xin'

Michelia 'Xin' is widely cultivated for its beautiful flowers, but despite its popularity, the molecular mechanism regulating flower bud differentiation remains unclear. Here, we used paraffin sections and RNA-seq to study the process of flower bud differentiation in Michelia 'Xin'. Flower bud development was divided into five stages: undifferentiated, early flower bud differentiation, petal primordium differentiation, stamen primordium differentiation, and carpel primordium differentiation. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical basis for the genetic regulation of flowering in Michelia 'Xin', lays the foundation for further research on flowering genes, and may promote the development of new varieties.