Ethylene implication in root development

Anatomically, plants can be divided into above-ground parts called shoots and below-ground parts called roots . Shoots act as the source of food production via photosynthesis; they harness carbon dioxide and sunlight. The plant root system harvests mineral nutrients and water from the soil and provides anchorage to the shoots. They mutually support each other's growth and development. Roots encounter far more challenges than shoots as their resources mainly depend on spatiotemporal landscapes. The study of molecular processes involved in root growth and development is key to understand plant plasticity. Phytohormones regulate almost all aspects of root system architecture development and responses. Ethylene, a gaseous plant hormone, affects multiple developmental processes during plant growth either independently or by interacting with other signaling networks of plants. In this chapter, we provide insights into the role of the ethylene response pathway in root growth and development. We also discuss the impact of other hormones and their crosstalk with ethylene to control different features of root system architecture and summarize available information on molecular mechanisms governing these processes.