Bolting, an Important Process in Plant Development, Two Types in Plants

Abstract

Bolting refers to the rapid lengthening of the plant stem, and is due to the coordinated effects of developmental and environmental factors. The shoot apical meristem differentiates into the inflorescence meristem and eventually the floral meristem, which then develops into various floral organs during the bolting period. The timing of bolting is critical for plant propagation and reproductive success because it influences seed production, species survival, and crop yield. Therefore, analyses of the causes of bolting and how it occurs may enable researchers to regulate bolting. In this review, two different bolting phenotypes are described, namely inflorescence axis elongation and stem internode elongations. Various factors, such as light, temperature, and endogenous hormones, are integrated to mediate bolting. Moreover, the mechanism underlying bolting, including signal cascades and epigenetic inheritance, are discussed, and appropriate future research directions are proposed.