Photoperiod- and temperature-mediated control of growth cessation and dormancy in trees a molecular perspective

• Published in: Annals of botany Vol. 120; no. 3; pp. 351 - 360
• Main Authors: Maurya, Jay P., Bhalerao, Rishikesh P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.09.2017
• Subjects: Forest Science; INVITED REVIEW; Photoperiod; Picea - physiology; Plant Dormancy; Populus - physiology; Seasons; Skogsvetenskap; Temperature; Trees - physiology; endodormant; Hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × P. tremuloides); ecodormant; dormancy; phenology; seasonal growth; growth cessation
• ISSN: 0305-7364; 1095-8290; 1095-8290
• DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcx061

How plants adapt their developmental patterns to regular seasonal changes is an important question in biology. The annual growth cycle in perennial long-lived trees is yet another example of how plants can adapt to seasonal changes. The two main signals that plants rely on to respond to seasonal changes are photoperiod and temperature, and these signals have critical roles in the temporal regulation of the annual growth cycle of trees. This review presents the latest findings to provide insight into the molecular mechanisms that underlie how photoperiodic and temperature signals regulate seasonal growth in trees. The results point to a high level of conservation in the signalling pathways that mediate photoperiodic control of seasonal growth in trees and flowering in annual plants such as arabidopsis. Furthermore, the data indicate that symplastic communication may mediate certain aspects of seasonal growth. Although considerable insight into the control of phenology in model plants such as poplar and spruce has been obtained, the future challenge is extending these studies to other, non-model trees.