Figure 1

Developmental stages of leaves and flowers used for RNA extractions. Representative photographs of leaves and flowers of Petunia hybrida lines Mitchell (a, c) and V30 (b, d) are shown. The leaf stages are young, small leaf (leaf of the left in a, b) and fully expanded leaf (leaf of the right in a, b). Flowers at four different developmental stages are shown (c, d). From left to right they range from young flower bud (stage A, 1-1.5 cm), over-elongated bud (stage B, 2.5-3 cm) and pre-anthesis (stage C, 3.5-4.5 cm) to fully developed flower (stage D, open flower).