Lars Ostegaard is a Plant Scientist, based at the world famous John Innes Centre, Norwich, U.K.

• Contributors Preface1 Carpel EvolutionAur´elie C.M. Vialette-Guiraud and Charlie P. Scutt1.1 The importance of having carpels1.2 Hypotheses of carpel origin1.3 A phylogenetic framework for studies of carpel evolution1.4 A morphological portrait of the ancestral carpel1.5 The genetic control of carpel development in the first flowering plants1.6 A major role for the E-function in the origin of the carpel?1.7 Carpel specification in monocots1.8 Gene duplication and carpel evolution in the core eudicots1.9 The A-function finds a role in fruit development1.10 The multiple origins and mechanisms of syncarpy in the angiosperms1.11 A fruit by any other name: evolutionary convergence between angiosperms and gymnospermsReferences2 Gynoecium Patterning in Arabidopsis: A Basic Plan Behind a Complex StructureEva Sundberg and Cristina Ferrándiz2.1 Introduction2.2 The basic plan in lateral organs2.3 The Arabidopsis gynoecium2.4 Genetic and hormonal factors controlling gynoecium development2.5 ConclusionAcknowledgementsReferences3 The Ins and Outs of Ovule DevelopmentRaffaella Battaglia, Monica Colombo and Martin M. Kater3.1 Introduction3.2 Origin of the ovule3.3 Ovule development in Arabidopsis3.4 Sporophytic tissues3.5 Gametophytic tissue3.6 Interaction between the female gametophyte and the maternal sporophyte3.7 Ovule identity determinationReferences4 Fertilisation and Fruit InitiationSara Fuentes and Adam Vivian-Smith4.1 Introduction4.2 Pollination4.3 Female receptivity and the cessation of gynoecial growth4.4 Additional restraints on flower development and fruit initiation4.5 Fertilisation4.6 Hormonal cues during fruit initiation4.7 RNA silencing during fruit initiation4.8 Signal transduction from ovule to carpel and vascular canalisation4.9 Current models of fruit initiation4.10 Concluding remarksAcknowledgementsReferences5 Arabidopsis Fruit DevelopmentAntonio Martínez-Laborda and Antonio Vera5.1 Introduction5.2 Morphology of the Arabidopsis silique5.3 Determining the boundary between valve and replum: valve margin genes5.4 The making of valves and replum requires repression of valve margin genes5.5 Suppressors of the rpl phenotype: setting up territories5.6 A model for patterning the mediolateral axis of the Arabidopsis silique5.7 Auxin: a signaling molecule for the mediolateral axis?5.8 A biotechnological viewAcknowledgementsReferences6 Long-Distance Seed DispersalFrank M. Schurr, Orr Spiegel, Ofer Steinitz, Ana Trakhtenbrot, Asaf Tsoar and Ran Nathan6.1 Introduction6.2 Six generalizations on LDD mechanisms6.3 A vector-based perspective on the evolution and predictability of long-distance seed dispersal6.4 Future directionsAcknowledgementsReferences7 Seed Dispersal and Crop Domestication: Shattering, Germination and Seasonality in Evolution Under CultivationDorian Q. Fuller and Robin Allaby7.1 Introduction7.2 Loss of natural seed dispersal in wheat and barley:archaeobotanical evidence7.3 Non-shattering in other cereals: rice, pearl millet and maize7.4 The genetics of non-shattering cereals7.5 Reduction in seed dispersal aids7.6 Non-cereal alternative: appendage hypermorphy in fibre crops7.7 Loss of natural seed dispersal in pulses and other crops7.8 Germination traits in domestication: the importance of loss of dormancy7.9 The genetic basis for dormancy and germination7.10 Germination and seedling competition: changes in seed size7.11 The genetics of seed size7.12 Seasonality controls: photoperiodicity and vernalization7.13 Discussion: evolution and development of domesticated seed traitsReferences8 Factors Influencing the Ripening and Quality of Fleshy FruitsCornelius S. Barry8.1 Introduction8.2 Control of fruit ripening8.3 Transcription factors serve as master regulators of fruit ripening8.4 Hormonal control of fruit ripening8.5 The influence of light on fruit quality8.6 The discovery of aroma and flavour genes in fruit8.7 Cell wall changes influence fruit quality8.8 The cuticle influences fruit quality and postharvest longevity8.9 Genomics Resources8.10 Conclusions and future perspectivesAcknowledgementsReferences9 Parthenocarpy in Crop PlantsTiziana Pandolfini, Barbara Molesini and Angelo Spena9.1 Introduction9.2 Parthenocarpy9.3 Auxin-synthesis parthenocarpy9.4 Parthenocarpy via auxin signal transduction9.5 Parthenocarpy via gibberellin signal transduction9.6 Aucsia-silencing parthenocarpy9.7 Auxin sensitivity and parthenocarpy9.8 Apetalous parthenocarpy and the role of other floral organs9.9 Stenospermocarpy9.10 Parthenocarpy in perennial crop plants9.11 Parthenocarpy and fruit crop breeding9.12 From green plants to fruit crop plantsReferencesIndex