In monoecious plants having unisexual flowers (eg Zea Mays, Ricinus Communis etc

Question

In monoecious plants having unisexual flowers (eg Zea Mays, Ricinus Communis etc), there must be some mechanism as to produce two sexually distinct flowers from the same genotype. Since both the type of flowers are placed on the same plant, the genetic constitution of the cells of both the type of flowers will be similar. What is the mechanism by which the development of two sexually distinct flowers is carried out in such plants?

Is the mechanism similar to the mechanism for differential gene expression in case of embryonic development (Homeobox genes)? And moreover, is the genetic constitution of the pollen produced by the male flower similar to that of the egg produced by the female flower, with respect to the composition of autosomes and allosomes (if any)?

Explanation / Answer

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Sex determination in Zea Mays

Initially, all the flowers in the plant are perfect, ie they have both the male and the female flowers. This is followed by abortion of stamen or pistil resulting in unisexual flowers.

Which part of the flower undergoes abortion is determined according to the location of the flower. The florets in the tassel undergo the suppression of the pistil primordia resulting in staminate flowers, while the florets in the ear undergo suppression of stamen primordia resulting in female flowers.

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