What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to understand how adventitious roots form in Camellia luteoflora during the cutting process.

March 28, 2026Open Access

Physiological and transcriptome analyses for revealing the mechanism of adventitious root formation in Camellia luteoflora

Key Points

This study aims to understand how adventitious roots form in Camellia luteoflora during the cutting process.
Anatomical observations were conducted at four stages of root formation.
Physiological indices, including enzyme activities, were measured during adventitious root development.
Transcriptome analysis was used to identify key gene modules associated with root formation.
Root primordia originate from the phloem and vascular cambium during ARs induction.
SOD activity and elevated GA3 levels were linked to ARs differentiation.
Specific gene modules were found to regulate oxidative stress response, wound healing, and anaerobic respiration, influencing AR development.

Abstract

Camellia luteoflora is a plant species endemic to China, is classified as a rare and endangered plant under Category II protection. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of adventitious roots (ARs) formation during the cutting process of C. luteoflora. This study combines anatomical observation, physiological index measurement, and transcriptome analysis at four stages: initial cutting stage(S1), callus formation stage(S2), ARs formation stage(S3), and ARs elongation stage(S4). The results demonstrated that root primordia of C. luteoflora originated from the phloem, and vascular cambium during ARs induction. In the initial stage of ARs induction, SOD activity was associated with elevated GA3 levels, which may promote ARs differentiation. Meanwhile CAT, PPO, POD, IAAO, ABA, SA, and IAA jointly regulated ARs development through the redox and hormone signaling networks. Concurrently, higher protein and sugar contents provided the necessary energy substances for ARs elongation. Furthermore, WGCNA identified three key genes modules with distinct regulatory roles in ARs formation: the black module genes (MYB4, MYB48, CYP71D10, bZIP2, POD1-like) were associated with oxidative stress response and positively regulated callus formation; the brown module genes (WRKY23, CYP71A4, CYP704C1, MYB4) enhanced stress resistance via secondary metabolite synthesis, promoting wound healing while potentially inhibiting ARs initiation; and the green module genes (PDC1, ADH, LAC-7, ZOG, ATP-PFK3) activated anaerobic respiration, cell wall modification and glycolysis pathways to positively regulate AR formation. During the induction and development of ARs in C. luteoflora, the origin of adventitious root primordia, physiological and biochemical processes, and hub gene modules all play specific regulatory roles. These findings play a crucial role in understanding ARs development in C. luteoflora, with significant implications for its efficient propagation, conservation of endangered germplasm, exploration of potential applications, and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying rooting.

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Wu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69c771c58bbfbc51511e1d5d https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-026-08627-2

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