背景回顾：Dominance inhibition of shoot growth by fruit load is a major factor that regulates shoot architecture and limits yield in agriculture and horticulture crops. In annual plants, the inhibition of inflorescence growth by fruit load occurs at a late stage of inflorescence development termed the end of flowering transition. Physiological studies show this transition is mediated by production and export of auxin from developing fruits in close proximity to the inflorescence apex. In the meristem, cessation of inflorescence growth is controlled in part by the age-dependent pathway, which regulates the timing of arrest. 

主要发现：Here, we show the end of flowering transition is a two-step process in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). 

第一阶段：The first stage is characterized by a cessation of inflorescence growth, while immature fruit continue to develop. At this stage, dominance inhibition of inflorescence growth by fruit load is associated with a selective dampening of auxin transport in the apical region of the stem. 

第二阶段：Subsequently, an increase in auxin response in the vascular tissues of the apical stem where developing fruits are attached marks the second stage for the end of flowering transition. 

糖信号和代谢：Similar to the vegetative and floral transition, the end of flowering transition is associated with a change in sugar signaling and metabolism in the inflorescence apex. 

结论：Taken together, our results suggest that during the end of flowering transition, dominance inhibition of inflorescence shoot growth by fruit load is mediated by auxin and sugar signaling.

 摘 要 

果实负载对新梢生长的显性抑制是影响农业和园艺作物植株结构和产量的主要因素。在一年生植物中，果实负载对花序生长的抑制发生在花序发育的后期，即成花转变的结束。生理研究表明，这种转变是由靠近花序顶端的果实中所产生、并输出的生长素所介导的。在分生组织中，花序生长的停止部分受到年龄依赖性途径控制，该途径会调控花序生长停止的时间。本文中，作者发现拟南芥成花转变的结束是一个两步过程。第一阶段的特征是，花序停止生长，而未成熟果实继续发育。在这个阶段，果实负载对花序生长的显性抑制与茎尖区域生长素运输的选择性抑制有关。随后，正发育的果实所附着的茎尖区域的维管组织中，生长素响应的增加标志着成花转变结束的第二阶段。与营养和成花转变相似，成花转变的结束与花序顶端糖信号和代谢的变化有关。综上所述，本文的结果表明，在开花过渡期结束时，果实负载对花序生长的显性抑制是由生长素和糖信号介导的。