More than 1.1 billion tonnes of maize grain were harvested across 197 million hectares in 2019 (FAOSTAT 2020). The vast global productivity of maize is largely driven by denser planting practices, higher yield potential per area of land, and increased yield potential per plant. Shoot architecture, the three-dimensional structural arrangement of the above-ground plant body, is critical to maize grain yield and biomass. Structure of the shoot is integral to all aspects of modern agronomic practices. Here, the developmental genetics of the maize vegetative shoot is reviewed. Plant architecture is ultimately determined by meristem activity, developmental patterning, and growth. The following topics are discussed: shoot apical meristem, leaf architecture, axillary meristem and shoot branching, and intercalary meristem and stem activity. Where possible, classical and current studies in maize developmental genetics, as well as recent advances leveraged by “-omics” analyses, are highlighted within these sections.

2019 年，1.97 亿公顷玉米收获量超过 11 亿吨（粮农组织统计数据库，2020 年）。全球玉米生产力的提高很大程度上是由更密集的种植方式、更高的单位面积产量潜力以及每株植物产量潜力的增加推动的。芽的结构，即地上植物体的三维结构排列，对于玉米产量和生物量至关重要。芽的结构是现代农艺实践各个方面不可或缺的一部分。本文综述了玉米营养芽的发育遗传学。植物结构最终由分生组织活动、发育模式和生长决定。讨论以下主题：茎尖分生组织、叶结构、腋生分生组织和茎分枝，以及闰分生组织和茎活动。在可能的情况下，这些部分重点介绍了玉米发育遗传学的经典和当前研究，以及“组学”分析所利用的最新进展。