Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #132442
Title: THE FORMATION OF ADVENTITIOUS ROOTS ON ROOT AXES IS A WIDESPREAD OCCURRENCE IN FIELD-GROWN DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS

Author
item PAOLILLO, DOMINIC - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item Zobel, Richard

Submitted to: American Journal of Botany
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2002
Publication Date: 9/20/2002
Citation: PAOLILLO, D., ZOBEL, R.W. THE FORMATION OF ADVENTITIOUS ROOTS ON ROOT AXES IS A WIDESPREAD OCCURRENCE IN FIELD-GROWN DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY. 2002. V. 89. P. 1361-1372.

Interpretive Summary: Directed improvement of agricultural productivity for economically depressed areas, requires a thorough knowledge of whole plant responses to environmental changes. The mechanism by which plant root systems rapidly adjust to changing environmental conditions is not well understood. This research was undertaken to clarify the extent to which a type of root initiation (adventitious) on older roots of trees, shrubs, and crop plants was typical, compared to the well studied lateral rooting that takes place in seedlings. It was determined that adventitious rooting was the predominant form of rooting once the parent roots began to mature, and that this development can be extremely fast (within 3-4 hours of a rainfall event). This research should stimulate further research, into the genetic and physiological controls of these roots, which will ultimately yield improvements in plant responses to soil based plant stresses.

Technical Abstract: The formation of adventitious branch roots in the secondary tissues of parental root axes is a widespread and frequent occurrence under field conditions. Anatomical features diagnostic for the recognition of adventitious roots were applied to confirm the occurrence of adventitious roots on roots of 22 species from 12 families in nine orders of dicotyledonous plants. Adventitious roots may play an important role in replenishing fine roots as part of root turnover in the soil.