摘要：SummaryOrganisms can rapidly mitigate the effects of environmental changes by changing their phenotypes, known as phenotypic plasticity. Yet, little is known about the temperature-mediated plasticity of traits that are directly linked to plant fitness such as flower size. We discovered substantial genetic variation in flower size plasticity to temperature both among selfingArabidopsis thalianaand outcrossingA. arenosaindividuals collected from a natural growth habitat. Genetic analysis using a panel of 290A.thalianaaccession and mutant lines revealed thatMADS AFFECTING FLOWERING(MAF)2–5gene cluster, previously shown to regulate temperature-mediated flowering time, was associated to the flower size plasticity to temperature. Furthermore, our findings pointed that the control of plasticity differs from control of the trait itself. Altogether, our study advances the understanding of genetic and molecular factors underlying plasticity on fundamental fitness traits, such as flower size, in response to future climate scenarios.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•Flower size plasticity to temperature inA.thalianaandA.arenosahas genetic basis•The flowers are smaller at higher temperature in most of theA.thalianaaccessions•MAF2-5gene cluster is responsible for flower size plasticity to temperature•Flower size plasticity is not genetically linked to flower size, as a focal traitPlant biology; Plant morphology; Plant Genetics ; Plant physiology;
