Plant Architecture Regulation in Lagerstroemia indica
Plant height and branching are key architectural traits in woody ornamentals, directly shaping plant form, aesthetic value, and landscape adaptability. In Lagerstroemia indica , contrasting growth habits between the compact cultivar ‘Fenjingling’ and its naturally occurring tall mutants provide an ideal system to investigate the genetic and cellular factors driving architectural diversity. Through a combined approach integrating whole-genome resequencing, cytological measurements, and transcriptomic validation, researchers have uncovered key regulatory mechanisms—most notably sequence variations in the transcription factor WRKY40 —that control cell proliferation, cell elongation, and ultimately plant height and branching architecture. Phenotypic and Cytological Characterization of Architectural Traits A rigorous comparison of morphological and anatomical traits revealed substantial differences between ‘Fenjingling’ and its tall mutants. The mutants showed marked increases in plant h...