Phylogenetic relation of tested plant species.

<p>Phylogenetic tree based on the nucleotide alignment of the ITS2 region of ribosomal DNA of the C₄ grasses <i>Z. mays</i> (maize), <i>S. officinarum</i> (sugarcane), <i>S. bicolor</i> (sorghum), and <i>M.</i> x <i>giganteus</i>, the C₃ grasses <i>O. sativa</i> (rice), <i>T. aestivum</i> (wheat), <i>H. vulgare</i> (barley), <i>S. cereale</i> (rye), and <i>B. distachyon</i>, and the C₃ dicots <i>G. max</i> (soybean), <i>S. lycopersicum</i> (tomato), and <i>A. thaliana</i>, which were used as an outgroup. Bold: plant species used in this study, dotted line: plant species with a C₄ carbon fixation.