Studies on morphogenesis and shoot apical meristem (SAM) of rudimentary panicle in rice

Morphogenesis and shoot apical meristem (SAM) of rudimentary panicle of rice (Guangluai 4) were studied by SEM and tissue sectioning.Results demonstrate that there are conspicuous changes from vegetative shoot apical meristem to reproductive shoot apical meristem.The process of early differentiation and development of SAM were divided into the following three developmental phases by the identities of the pri mordia:inflorescence apical meristem phase (IAMP),spikelet apical meristem phase (SPAMP) and floral meristem phase (FMP).Furthermore,each developmental phase showed several different phases,these included inflorescence 0 phase,inflorescence Ⅰ phase,inflorescence Ⅱ phase;spikelet Ⅰ phase,spikelet Ⅱ phase,spikelet Ⅲ phase;palea primordium phase,lodicule primordium phase,stamen primordium phase and carpel primordium phase.In the course of the differentiation and development,some new characters of morphogenesis were found,and the mechanism of early development of rudimentary panicle were understood further,with which recent progress made in angiosperm shoot apical meristem structure and function were discussed.