FIGURE 2.

Stem growth and shoot branching in eudicots and monocots. (A) In eudicots such as pea, stem internodes elongate during the vegetative phase and shoot branching is inhibited. However, pea plants develop branches (indicated by blue arrows) from lower nodes adiacent to shortened internodes. (B) In monocots such as wheat, internodes do not elongate during the vegetative phase and tillers (basal branches, indicated by blue arrows) develop from the shortened internodes at the base of the shoot. (C) When grown at high density enriched with shade signals from neighbor plants, internodes of monocots such as sorghum elongate and bud outgrowth is suppressed. When the density is reduced internode elongation is suppressed and branches (indicated by blue arrows) develop.