A wake-up call: signaling in regulating ornamental geophytes dormancy

Ornamental geophytes are a group of important flowers worldwide. As perennial plants, geophytes go through several rounds of life cycle under seasonal climates. The dormant trait of underground modified organs in geophytes is critical for the process of storage, planting as well as breeding. Although the dormant physiology in geophytes is complex and largely unknown, several advancements have been achieved in this field. Here, we review the knowledge on the role of environmental factors, endogenous hormones, carbohydrates, and epigenetics in the regulation of geophytes dormancy and release (GDR). We also discuss dormancy release (DR) methods and their roles in geophytes, including small molecular chemicals and wounding treatments.