Current review on signals regulating dormancy in vegetative buds

Authors: Chao, Wun; Horvath, David; Foley, Michael; Anderson, James

Submitted to: International Journal of Plant Developmental Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/16/2007
Publication Date: 6/1/2007
Citation: Chao, W.S., Horvath, D.P., Foley, M.E., Anderson, J.V. 2007. Current review on signals regulating dormancy in vegetative buds. International Journal of Plant Developmental Biology. 1(1):49-56

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Dormancy has been described as a temporary suspension of visible growth of plant structure containing a meristem (Lang et al. 1987). Many vegetative propagules, particularly axillary and adventitious buds require dormancy for over-wintering survival and adequate development. Dormancy regulation is a complex process involving interactions of various signals through specific and/or overlapping signal transduction pathways. In this review, three different signals including environmental, physiological, and developmental are discussed. External signals such as temperature and light are environmental signals which play crucial roles in regulating development and release of bud dormancy. Internal signals including phytochrome, gibberellic acid, abscisic acid, auxin, cytokinin, and ethylene, etc. are physiological signals associated with direct phenotypic changes which occur when plants perceive environmental signals. Developmental signals such as flowering and senescence have received considerable interest; for example, emerging information indicates that altered expression of regulatory genes associated with flowering such as FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and DORMANCY AFFECTING MADS-BOX (MAD) have an effect on bud dormancy. Currently, many genes and/or gene products are known to be responsive directly or indirectly to these signals. The potential roles for these genes in the dormancy process are also discussed.