The shoot apical meristem of seed plants gives rise to the above-ground parts of theplants during development, including leaves, stems, and lateral meristems. Among them, two typesof meristems, axillary meristem and vascular cambium, support the main lateral growth. In this re-view, we will discuss the regulatory network of lateral growth, focusing on recent progress mademainly in Arabidopsis thaliana, tomato and maize, including the identification of genes and theirroles in controlling lateral meristems. In addition, we will summarize the latest evidence about howmeristem affects yield-related traits, and discuss the strategies for modulating meristem regulatorygenes so as to increase crop yield in agriculture.
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