Bud Dormancy in Perennial Plants: A Mechanism for Survival

Dormancy in vegetative buds of perennial plants plays an important role for surviving harsh environmental conditions. Identifying the genetic and physiological mechanisms regulating dormancy in these vegetative structures will allow manipulation of plant growth and development in both crops and weeds. Model plants have been used to study the physiological effects that photoperiod and temperature impart on dormancy regulation in perennial buds. At the molecular level, models derived through analysis of the transcriptome have shed new light on multiple cellular pathways and physiological processes associated with dormancy transitions and, in some cases, have revealed overlap with pathways regulating flowering and cold acclimation. In this chapter, we discuss proposed models based on advances to our understanding of physiological and molecular factors affecting dormancy regulation in vegetative buds of perennials.