"A rhizome can be defined botanically as "A stem growing more or less horizontally below ground level. Rhizomes tend to be thick, fleshy or woody, and bear scale leaves or less often foliage leaves, or the scars when these leaves have been lost; they also bear adventitious roots most frequently at the nodes." (Bell 2008). Plant rhizomes play an important role in agriculture and in food production. Some crops such as sugar cane or asparagus breed via rhizomes. Rhizome tubers of potatoes, yams and ginger are consumed as food. Many troublesome weeds spread via rhizomes such as purple nutsedge: Cyperus rotundus L., quackgrass: Elymus repens (L.) Gould, johnsongrass: Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. or itch grass: Rottboellia cochinchinensis (Lour.) Clayton. Rhizomatous, perennial weeds are hard to control. Several of these species are invasive to many parts of the world such as Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica, or johnsongrass, Sorghum halepense. They compete with endemic species and reduce biodiversity. At the beginning of this century, scientists have tried to transfer traits of perennial species into annual crop species such as into rice or Sorghum. This approach would allow continuous harvesting without the need for sowing before every season. Unfortunately, genomics data on rhizomes do not exist yet. The amount of English literature on rhizomes is quite restricted. Only a few articles discuss general characteristics of rhizomes. A concise overview on rhizomes does not exist yet"-- Provided by publisher.