To verify the reliability of RNA-Seq data and explicit the expression patterns of genes related to floral development, ten genes mainly related to the floral organ development, floral symmetry and flowering time associated genes were selected to perform qRT-PCR analysis. Our results indicated that DEF, PI, AG, AP1, BRANCHED2 (BRC2) and CCA1 had higher expression and TCP4, CO, SOC1 and LFY displayed lower expression in the flower buds (Fig. 8a-j ). PI and DEF, the two B class function genes controlling the petal development, showed significantly higher expression in the flower buds than the vegetative buds. While CCA1 participating in the circadian rhythm showed significantly higher expression in the flower buds than the vegetative buds. Overall, all of the 10 genes performed the same expression patterns in our qRT-PCR results as in the RNA-Seq data, verifying the reliability of the Illumina sequencing data. Fig. 8qRT-PCR analysis of ten selected genes in different organs of C. faberi. a–j indicated the relative expression level of DEF, PI, AG, AP, TCP4, BRC2, CO, SOC1, CCA1, LFY gene, respectively. In these pictures, F flower buds; V vegetative buds; Asterisk indicated significantly higher expression