I am studying ramosa1, a gene important in plant genetics, especially so in economically important crop species. The product of this gene dictates the flowering branch architecture of many crop species, which can help determine how much grain we can get from a single plant. I am attempting to discern the presence or absence of the genes across a range of grasses to help determine its molecular evolution and to provide a starting point for a deeper examination of its activity and expression in some key grass species.