Physiological and molecular control of adventitious root formation in ornamental cuttings

Abstract

The present cumulative habilitation thesis involves fourteen publications of research that aimed at the elucidation of plant physiological and molecular factors and processes determining the adventitious root formation and leaf senescence in shoot tip cuttings of ornamental crops. In this context, the principle influence of cutting excision involving the wounding and isolation of the cutting from the entire stock plant were considered as well as the influences of specific environmental factors affecting the cuttings during the complex chain of global young plant production. After a general introduction into the subject of this thesis, the second part provides an overview summarizing the publications as assigned to the following topics: 1. Influence of beneficial root-colonizing fungi at stock plant and cutting level on rooting of cuttings, 2. Nitrogen and carbohydrate interactions on rooting of cuttings, 3. Involvement of carbohydrate source and sink relations in rooting of cuttings, 4. Involvement of plant hormone pathways in leaf senescence and adventitious root formation in cuttings. After listing of the publications, the discussion part integrates and critically discusses the obtained results in the contemporary context of science. General concepts are derived and an outlook on further needs of research is presented.