Physiological and Genetic Approaches to Studying Endodormancy-related Traits in Populus

Abstract

Plants native to boreal, temperate, and subtropical regions are subjected to large seasonal variations in temperature. In these regions, woody perennial plants have evolved annual growth cycles that promote long-term survival and growth. These annual growth cycles involve alternations between active shoot growth and vegetative dormancy (endodormancy) that are closely timed with seasonal changes in the local climate. Dormancy, in general, is defined as the temporary suspension of visible growth of any plant structure containing a meristem Endodormancy, which develops in the fall, is characterized by a requirement for sustained exposure to low, near-