Senescence, ageing and death of the whole plant

UNLABELLED: 696 I. 697 II. 697 III. 699 IV. 700 V. 703 VI. 704 VII. 707 708 References 708 SUMMARY: This review considers the relationship between the lifespan of an individual plant and the longevity of its component cells, tissues and organs. It begins by defining the terms senescence, growth, development, turnover, ageing, death and program. Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms regulating phase change from juvenility to maturity influence directly the capacity for responding to senescence signals and factors determining reproduction-related patterns of deteriorative ageing and death. Senescence is responsive to communication between sources and sinks in which sugar signalling and hormonal regulation play…