The function of branched-spike genes in the development process of barley inflorescence has been successfully restrained, but some mutated genes can reactivate the development of branched-pike in barley, leading to an ectopic expression of the spikelet and its florets on the rachis nodes of branched-spike, an increase in single-floret spikelet per spike and a decrease in flower fertility. Barley branched-spike is a recessive trait genetically controlled by a pairs of nuclear genes. The reported branched-spike genes in barley are distributed on Chr2HS, Chr3HL, and Chr4HS, belonging to different transcription factor gene families, with difference in genetic function, expression mode and interaction characteristic. This paper summarized the research results on the creation methods, agronomic and genetic characteristics of the reported branched-spike mutants, as well as the functions, expression characteristics and transcriptional regulation relationships of the branched-spike genes, it also explored the scientific problems that need to be elucidated and their solution strategies in the genetic research of barley branching spike mutants. |