Auxin Biology: Applications and the Mechanisms Behind

This chapter describes the state of the contemporary knowledge of auxin action reflected in its applications in agriculture and biotechnology. We summarise the current understanding of the mechanism of action for endogenous and major synthetic auxins highlighting their morphogenic character that modulates numerous aspects of plant development. Various auxins and auxin-like compounds are used in techniques of plant vegetative propagation, in vitro culture and regeneration, and they play also a role as important herbicides. We discuss potential applications of auxins in commercially relevant procedures used in the context of plant generative and fruit development, abscission, apical dominance and tropisms. These technologies are based rather on the phenomenology of auxin applications, and the molecular mechanisms behind are still not fully uncovered.