Strigolactone and analogues: A new generation of plant hormones with multifactorial benefits in environmental sustainability

Abstract

Strigolactones (SLs) are an important class of new-generation plant hormones that play a multitude role in various aspects of plant growth, including shoot branching, root architecture, regulation of plant development, signaling, and establishment of mycorrhizal relationships. Recent research has revealed that SLs and their analogs have multifactorial implications, including potential benefits in plant growth, responses, and developmental processes of plants by improving biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. This class of plant hormones having role in human health. Moreover, this bio-compound has a significant influence on the rhizosphere microbial population and regulates colonization and hyphal branching of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. SLs and their analogs have different functions, with benefits in both plant production and human health, and can affect several aspects such as crop yield and quality, disease resistance, and environmental sustainability. The current review provides a comprehensive overview of the biological activity of SLs and discusses the involvement of strigolactone signaling in plant growth responses and biosynthesis genes in plant architecture, which contribute to traits or serve as key factors for integrated hormonal regulation, developmental control, and environmental factors that affect yield improvement in plants. Additionally, the mechanisms of SL-induced modifications in the microbial community are elaborated, with a specific focus on crosstalk with other signaling systems. This review encompasses the current trends in SL research and extends to the impact of SLs on human health, plant development, and microbial populations.