Types and Function of Phytohormone and Their Role in Stress

Abstract

Plants require sunlight, water, oxygen, and minerals to grow and flourish. Along with the external environments, plant cell functioning is regulated by chemicals and plant hormones, also known as phytohormones or plant growth regulators (PGRs). Plant hormones are chemical substances, like signalling molecules found in plants at extremely low concentrations. Hormones such as auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, ethylene, abscisic acid, jasmonic acid; salicylic acid, brassinosteroids, and strigolactones are the classes of plant hormones playing vital role in plant. All these hormones are produced in practically every region of the plant and are distributed throughout the plant. Hormones, as well as external variables, play a vital role in processes such as vernalisation, phototropism, seed germination, and dormancy, because these hormones are responsible for translating the external signal into adaptive growth and developmental changes, that help plant to survive better. They also evolved as cellular signal molecules with important roles in the modulation of immunological responses to bacteria, insect herbivores, and beneficial microorganisms. Hence, plant hormones govern a variety of biological activities ranging from growth and development to biotic and abiotic responses. This chapter will focus on various classes of plant hormones and their role in growth and development along with the stress.