To improve the knowledge of physiological and molecular processes involved in GN and KW determination by studying the development and growth of flowers and kernels, together with their associated traits, to build a framework accounting for the determination of the two main yield components in sunflower as a model crop.

1.- To evaluate the daily and seasonal time-course of expansins and expression in flowers and growing kernels of sunflower. 2.- To assess the relationships among dry matter, water content, epidermal cell number, epidermal cell dimensions and expansins expression in flowers and growing kernels of sunflower. 3.- To quantify the impact of ectopic application of cell wall proteins in reproductive organs of sunflower at pre and post flower pollination. 4.- To integrate the information of the previous objectives in a framework accounting for GN and KW determination.

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