Adventitious Root Formation and its Utilization for Sustainable Plant Propagation

Abstract

Adventitious roots arise from non-root organs such as stems, leaves, or floral tissues, thereby enhancing plant growth, development, and survival. Their formation represents an important adaptive response that is triggered by mechanical injury, environmental stress, or other external stimuli. Consequently, adventitious rooting is closely associated with improved plant establishment, stress tolerance, and crop productivity under adverse environmental conditions, including drought, soil salinity, and waterlogging, which are common in arid and semi-arid regions. The initiation and development of adventitious roots are regulated by a complex interplay of phytohormones, particularly auxins, cytokinins, and ethylene, together with transcription factors, signalling pathways, and epigenetic mechanisms. Recent advances in molecular biology have identified several key genes involved in auxin signalling and transcriptional regulation that govern adventitious root formation. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the physiological, hormonal, molecular, and genetic mechanisms underlying adventitious root development and highlights their applications in plant propagation, crop improvement, and sustainable agricultural production. These insights provide a valuable foundation for enhancing plant resilience and productivity, particularly under environmentally challenging conditions.