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The induction of adventitious roots is a key factor restricting the vegetative propagation of apple dwarf rootstocks. PLETHORA (PLT) transcription factors are involved in the regulation of plant stem cell niche and adventitious root development. In this study, we identified the <i>PLT1</i> gene in apples by bioinformatics and analyzed its evolutionary relationship. The <i>MdPLT1</i> gene was cloned from M9-T337 to verify its subcellular localization and analyze its function in transgenic tobacco. The MdPLT1 protein contained two conserved AP2 domains which may be similar to those of poplar the PtrPLT2a and PtrPLT2b with 85% support. The CDS sequence of the <i>MdPLT1</i> gene was 1638 bp, encoding 545 amino acids. The transcription factor MdPLT1 was localized in the nucleus. The number of adventitious roots of tobacco plants overexpressing <i>MdPLT1</i> significantly increased. In the adventitious roots of <i>MdPLT1</i>-overexpressed plants, the expression levels of genes related to the <i>NtPINs</i> family and the <i>NtYUCCAs</i> family were significantly increased. The results showed that <i>MdPLT1</i> positively regulated adventitious root formation. This study provided a theoretical basis for the establishment of the fast vegetative propagation of apple dwarf rootstocks.