Practice question

Floral meristem identity genes LEAFY, APETALA1, CAULIFLOWER act as master developmental switches converting indeterminate shoot apical meristem into determinate floral meristem upon flowering induction via FT-FD florigen complex integrating photoperiod, vernalization, autonomous, and gibberellin signals. They suppress KNOX internode elongation, activate ABC homeotic genes specifying sepal, petal, stamen, carpel identities, and enforce whorled phyllotaxy with determinate growth. Mutants produce inflorescences where flowers are replaced by shoots bearing leaf-like bracts, demonstrating specific role in floral identity specification rather than general shoot meristem maintenance or organogenesis control.