Figure 2.

Tassel Branching Patterns in A188, B73, and W22 Maize Inbred Lines and ra2 Mutants.

(A) The distribution of axillary meristem fates in tassels of ra2 alleles and inbred lines. The area of each class of branch represents its percentage of all tassel branches. Single spikelets were only found in W22 and W22-introgressed families. See Table 1 for error values and significance of a t test.

(B) and (C) A simplified schematic showing the change in branch determinacy imposed on branches of ra2 mutant tassels.

(B) A wild-type tassel, consisting mainly of spikelet pair–bearing branches at the bottom and spikelet pairs directly on the main axis above.

(C) A typical ra2 tassel showing mixed branches and spikelet multimers that gradually become spikelet pairs toward the apex. Branch angle difference is not illustrated.