A positive role for hydrogen gas in adventitious root development.

Our recent study highlights the role of hydrogen gas (H2) in adventitious root development in cucumber. H2 is an effective gaseous signal molecule with the abilities to regulate plant growth and development and enhance plant resistance to environmental stimulus. In addition, the effect of H2 on fruit senescence and flowering time also has been reported. Adventitious root development is a critical step in plant vegetative propagation affected by a serious of signaling molecules, such as auxin, nitric oxide (NO), carbon oxide (CO), ethylene and Ca(2+). Observational evidence has shown that H2 can regulate adventitious root development in a dose-dependent manner. H2 may regulate HO-1/CO pathway through or not through NO pathway during adventitious rooting. Rooting-related enzymes, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, indoleacetic acid oxidase were required for H2-induced adventitious root. CsDNAJ-1, CsCPDK1/5, CsCDC6, CsAUX228-like, and CsAUX22D-like genes also were involved in this process.