Physiological and Molecular Regulation of Adventitious Root Formation

Propagation of vegetative cuttings is the most efficient and cost-effective method for producing homogeneous horticultural plants and forest trees when apomictic seed is unavailable. This method depends on the formation of adventitious roots (ARs) in stem or leaf cuttings. Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate AR development could enhance the application of this technique. In this article, we review the physiological and developmental processes that regulate AR formation. We map gene function in lateral root development to transcriptomic analyses of the stages of AR formation to reveal potential gene function controlling this important process. We then synthesize a model of the regulatory network controlling AR formation that includes the unique aspects of AR formation in woody plants. Finally, we provide a perspective and suggest future directions for elucidation of molecular processes that regulate AR development.