A Histological Study of Adventitious Root Initiation in Mung Bean Cuttings1

Abstract

Abstract A histological study of the initiation and development of adventitious roots in lightgrown cuttings of mung bean ( Phaseolus aureus Roxb.) showed that cell divisions leading to adventitious root initiation occurred 20–24 hours after the cuttings were taken. Cell divisions began at the same time for control and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) treated cuttings indicating that NAA did not alter the timing of root initiation. The root primordia for both were well developed by 48 hours and the roots began to emerge by 72 hours. Intracellular changes in the cells destine for the initial divisions first became visible histologically at 12 hours. By 16 to 20 hours considerable intracellular change was observed, including enlargement of the nuclei and nucleoli and an increase in apparent cytoplasmic staining density.