Grain cereal crops such as barley, wheat, and rice are vital staples in temperate regions, with spikelet formation being crucial to their productivity. Spikelet survival is a major factor in yield improvement and is affected by both genetics and environmental stress. Despite breeding efforts, grain yield improvement has stagnated due to a limited understanding of the regulatory networks that govern spikelet fertility. This review examines the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating spikelet development and abortion, with particular emphasis on miR156–SPL, and miR172–AP2. It discusses morphological differences among barley, wheat, and rice and highlights specific miRNA-target gene pairs that affect flowering time and spikelet fertility. The review also examines how environmental factors influence miRNA pathways and how miRNA misregulation affects anther and pollen growth. Overall, it emphasizes the potential of miRNA-transcription factor modules for developing targeted breeding strategies to improve spikelet survival and increase yields in cereal crops.
Alqudah et al. (Fri,) studied this question.