Regulation of axillary shoot development

Axillary meristems are formed in leaf axils and their growth into branches is a highly controlled process that is an important contributor to plant architecture. Here we discuss work that improves our understanding of the initiation and growth of axillary meristems. Recent results have implicated brassinosteroid signalling in the formation of axillary meristems. Our knowledge of axillary meristem outgrowth has also advanced, particularly in the areas of strigolactone signal production and perception, which have been shown to respond to environmental inputs. Auxins and cytokinins have also been linked to the control of axillary shoot development, revealing a complex network of signals that combine to regulate the outgrowth of an axillary meristem into a branch.