Skip to main content
Log in

Adventitious rooting: examining the role of auxin in an easy- and a difficult-to-root plant

  • Published:
Plant Growth Regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Therooting responses of cuttings of difficult-to-root lilac (Syringavulgaris) and easy-to-root forsythia(Forsythia × intermedia)were compared. The rooting ability of lilac cuttings declined over the growingseason (May–June). There was also a decline in the initial concentrationof free IAA at the base of the cuttings, but there was not a tight relationshipbetween basal IAA concentration and rooting ability. Polar auxin transportability was measured in lilac and forsythia during the period of maximum growthby [3H]IAA application to stem internodal tissue. Transport abilitydeclined in lilac over this time period, particularly in terms of transportintensity and percentage of [3H]IAA transported. In contrast thechanges in polar auxin transport ability in forsythia were less marked. Thisdifference between species was maintained in winter hardwood cuttings, withforsythia tissue showing greater polar auxin transport ability than lilac. Theimportance of polar auxin transport for adventitious rooting was demonstratedinboth lilac and forsythia softwood cuttings by use of the polar transportinhibitor 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA). Overall the results indicate thatdifferences in polar auxin transport ability between lilac and forsythiacontribute to differences in rooting ability.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ballester A., San-José M.C., Vidal N., Fernández-Lorenzo J.L. and Vieitez A.M. 1999. Anatomical and biochemical events during in vitro rooting of microcuttings from juvenile and mature phases of chestnut. Ann. Bot. 83: 619–629.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blakesley D., Weston G.D. and Elliott M.C. 1991a. Endogenous levels of indole-3-acetic acid and abscisic acid during the rooting of Cotinus coggygria cuttings taken at different times of the year. Plant Growth Regul. 10: 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blakesley D., Weston G.D. and Hall J.F. 1991b. The role of endogenous auxin in root initiation. Part I: evidence from studies on auxin application, and analysis of endogenous levels, Plant Growth Regul. 10: 341–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borkovec V., Didehvar F. and Baker D.A. 1994. The biosynthesis and translocation of 14C-IAA in Ricinus communis. Plant Growth Regul. 15: 137–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Browning G. and Wignall T.A. 1987. Identification and quantitation of indole-3-acetic and abscisic acids in the cambial region of Quercus robur by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Tree Physiol. 3: 235–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cambridge A.P. and Morris D.A. 1996. Transfer of exogenous auxin from the phloem to the polar auxin transport pathway in pea (Pisum sativum L.). Planta 199: 583–588.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Klerk G.J. 1995. Timing of the phases in adventitious root formation in apple microcuttings. J. Exp. Bot. 46: 965–972.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Klerk G.J. 1996. Markers of adventitious root formation. Agronomie. 16: 609–616.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Klerk G.J., Van der Krieken W. and De Jong J.C. 1999. The formation of adventitious roots: new concepts, new possibilities. In Vitro Cell Dev. Biol. - Plant 35: 189–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Depta H., Eisle K.-H. and Hertel R. 1983. Specific inhibitors of auxin transport: action on tissue segments and in vitro binding to membranes from maize coleoptiles. Plant Sci. Lett. 31: 181–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diaz-Sala C., Hutchison K.W., Goldfarb B. and Greenwood M.S. 1996. Maturation-related loss of rooting competence by loblolly pine stem cuttings: the role of auxin transport, metabolism and tissue sensitivity. Phys. Plant 97: 481–490.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerrero J.R., Garrido G., Acosta M. and Sánchez-Bravo J. 1999. Influence of 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid and 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid on indoleacetic acid transport in carnation cuttings: relationship with rooting. J. Plant Growth Regul. 18: 183–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haissig B.E. and Davis T.D. 1994. A historical evaluation of adventitious rooting research to 1993. In: Davis T.D. and Haissig B.E. (eds), Biology of Adventitious Root Formation. Plenum Press, New York, pp. 275–331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard B.H. 1996. Relationships between shoot growth and rooting of cuttings in three contrasting species of ornamental shrub. J. Hort. Sci. 71: 591–605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard B.H. and Ridout M.S. 1994. Partitioning sources of rooting potential in plum hardwood cuttings. J. Hort. Sci. 69: 735–745.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarvis B.C. and Shaheed A.I. 1986. Adventitious root formation in relation to the uptake and distribution of supplied auxin. New Phytol. 103: 23–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamboj J.S., Browning G., Blake P.S., Quinlan J.D. and Baker D.A. 1999. GC-MS-SIM analysis of abscisic acid and indole-3-acetic acid in shoot bark of apple rootstocks. Plant Growth Regulation 28: 21–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kevers C., Hausman J.F., Faivre-Rampant O., Evers D. and Gaspar T. 1997. Hormonal control of adventitious rooting: progress and questions. Angew. Bot. 71: 71–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu J.-H. and Reid D.M. 1992. Adventitious rooting in hypocotyls of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seedlings. IV. The role of changes in endogenous free and conjugated indole-3-acetic acid, Physiol Plant 86: 285–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marks T.R. 1996. The role of the shoot apex in controlling rhizogenesis in vitro. Plant Growth Regul. 20: 57–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marks T.R. and Simpson S.E. 2000. Rhizogenesis in Forsythia × intermedia and Syringa vulgaris; application of a simple internode experimental system. Plant Cell Rep. 19: 1171–1176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore T.C. 1989. Biochemistry and Physiology of Plant Hormones. Springer-Verlag, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordström A.-C. and Eliasson L. 1991. Levels of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-acetylaspartic acid during adventitious root formation in pea cuttings. Physiol Plant 82: 599–605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez A., Albuerne M. and Sánchez Tamés R. 1988. Rooting ability of Corylus avellana L.: macromorphological and histological study. Sci. Hortic. 35: 131–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross J.J. 1998. Effects of auxin transport inhibitors on gibberellins in pea. J. Plant Growth Regul. 17: 141–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubery P.H. 1987. Auxin transport. In: Davies P.J. (ed.), Plant Hormones and Their Role in Plant Growth and Development. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 341–362.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Weij H.G. 1932. Der mechanismus des wuchsstofftransportes. Rec. Trav. Bot. Neerl. 29: 380–496.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson P.J. 1994. The concept of a limiting rooting morphogen in woody stem cuttings. J. Hort. Sci. 69: 591–600.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y.-Y. Ford.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ford, YY., Bonham, E., Cameron, R. et al. Adventitious rooting: examining the role of auxin in an easy- and a difficult-to-root plant. Plant Growth Regulation 36, 149–159 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015013025513

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015013025513

Navigation