Rice inflorescence development determines yield and relies on the activity of axillary meristems (AMs); however, high-resolution analysis of its early development is lacking.Here, we have used high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing to profile 37 571 rice inflorescence cells and constructed a genome-scale gene expression resource covering the inflorescence-to-floret transition during early reproductive development. The differentiation trajectories of florets and AMs were reconstructed, and discrete cell types and groups of regulators in the highly heterogeneous young inflorescence were identified and then validated by in situ hybridization and with fluorescent marker lines.Our data demonstrate that a WOX transcription factor, DWARF TILLER1, regulates flower meristem activity, and provide evidence for the role of auxin in rice inflorescence branching by exploring the expression and biological role of the auxin importer OsAUX1.Our comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of early rice inflorescence development, supported by genetic evidence, provides single-cell-level insights into AM differentiation and floret development.

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Summary In cereal plants, the size of the panicle (inflorescence) is a critical factor for yield. Panicle size is determined by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors, but the mechanisms underlying adaptations to temperature stress during panicle development remain largely unknown. We identify the rice THERMOSENSITIVE BARREN PANICLE (TAP) gene, which encodes a transposase‐derived FAR1‐RELATED SEQUENCE (FRS) protein and is responsible for regulating panicle and spikelet development at high ambient temperature. The tap mutants display high temperature‐dependent reproductive abnormalities, including compromised secondary branch and spikelet initiation and pleiotropic floral organ defects. Consistent with its thermosensitive phenotype, TAP expression is induced by high temperature. TAP directly promotes the expression of OsYABBY3 (OsYAB3), OsYAB4, and OsYAB5, which encode key transcriptional regulators in panicle and spikelet development. In addition, TAP physically interacts with OsYAB4 and OsYAB5 proteins; phenotypic analysis of osyab4 tap‐1 and osyab5 tap‐1 double mutants indicates that TAP–OsYAB4/OsYAB5 complexes act to maintain normal panicle and spikelet development. Taken together, our study reveals the novel role of a TE‐derived transcription factor in controlling rice panicle development under high ambient temperatures, shedding light on the molecular mechanism underlying the adaptation of cereal crops to increasing environmental temperatures.

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