In vitro Phytohormonal Regulation of Fern Gametophytes Growth and Development

Interest in ferns as objects of biotechnological research is determined by the characteristics of their development and reproduction, which is important for understanding the evolutionary pathways of seed plants. The previous published data on the phytohormones involvement in the regulation of fern gametophytes ontogenesis during in vitro cultivation are analyzed and summarized. The possibility of fern reproduction through spores application as explants using in vitro methods is considered. The effects of exogenous treatment with cytokinins, auxins, gibberellins, ethylene, jasmonic acid, and brassinosteroids on spore germination, gametophyte morphology and development are analyzed. The roles of gibberellins and antheridiogen in the formation of fern gametophytes' sexual dimorphism are discussed. Data on disturbances of the sexual process in ferns and the phytohormones' involvement in the formation of apogamic sporophytes are summarized.