Compositions and methods for modulating flower organ development, leaf formation, phototropism, apical dominance, fruit development, initiation of roots, and for increasing yield in a plant are provided. The compositions include four ZmALF sequences. Compositions of the invention comprise amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences selected from SEQ ID NOS: 1-8 as well as variants and fragments thereof. Nucleotide sequences encoding the maize alfins are provided in DNA constructs for expression in a plant of interest are provided for modulating the level of one of four ZmALF sequences in a plant or a plant part are provided. The methods comprise introducing into a plant or plant part a heterologous polynucleotide comprising a ZmALF sequence of the invention. The level of the ZmALF polypeptide can be increased or decreased. Such method can be used to increase the yield in plants; in one embodiment, the method is used to increase grain yield in cereals.