Comparative Transcriptomics Analysis Reveals Genes Associated with a Dehiscent-Corolla Mutant in Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Floral organ development plays a critical role in determining crop yield and quality, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying this process in sesame remain poorly understood. In this study, comparative transcriptomic analyses were conducted between the wild-type Yuzhi11 and a dehiscent-corolla mutant, css1, to investigate the genetic basis of floral organ variation. A total of 114 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the two genotypes in both the main and lateral flowers, among which 47 candidate genes were implicated in main/lateral floral organ development. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed two gene modules significantly associated with the mutant's main and lateral flowers, respectively. Five hub genes were identified within each module, and their potential regulatory networks and protein-protein interactions networks were characterized. These findings provide new insights into the genetic regulation of flower and fruit development in sesame, and may inform future breeding strategies to optimize floral and yield related traits.