Expression of rol genes from Ri plasmid of Agrobacterium rhizogenes not only leads to the excessive formation of adventitious roots, but also exhibits various genetically modified characteristics that have broad prospects for the application of plant genetic improvement. Since the 1980s of the last century, much progress has been made in the studies of A. rhizogenes, in particular the agropine type Ri plasmid rol genes and their applications for plant genetic improvement, which involves the structure and function of Ri plasmid, the characters of rol genes, the influence of rol genes expression on plants growth and development, and the applications of rol genes for genetic improvement of forest tree. In this paper, the advances in this field are reviewed and the existing problems about the application of rol genes for genetic improvement of forest tree are also discussed.
