Exploring the role of the ovule in cereal grain development and reproductive stress tolerance

Abstract

Maintaining and enhancing grain production in cereal crops is a key priority for global research efforts. The formation of floral organs impacts the number and quality of grain produced, and is an important component of cereal yield. The grain is derived predominantly from the ovule, a multifunctional tissue located in the ovary of the flower that specifies and nurtures the female germline, produces a female gametophyte, and supports embryo and endosperm development after fertilisation. Grain cannot form without successful production and fertilisation of the female gametophyte, and the stages of floral development encompassing gametophyte formation are particularly sensitive to environmental fluctuations. A deeper fundamental understanding of female reproductive development from a tissue‐ and cell‐type‐specific perspective may provide opportunities to sustain and increase grain yields. In this article, we consider flower and ovule development, with a particular focus on pre‐fertilisation stages in cereals and their role in stress tolerance and downstream grain formation.