Which plant hormones are critical in responding to drought conditions? How do plant hormone responses adjust to environmental changes? An article published in the journal Trends in Plant Science redefines and classifies the functions of the 10 groups of plant hormones identified to date in the plant world, molecules with vital roles in plants and with various agricultural applications related to herbicides, bio-stimulants, fruit and vegetable crops, among others.The study also highlights which groups of phytohormones are essential to respond to changing environmental conditions (water stress, flooding, etc.) and facilitate plant survival in increasingly extreme environments.
The author of this study is Sergi Munné-Bosch, professor at the Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) of the University of Barcelona, and head of the Consolidated Research Group on Antioxidants in Agrobiotechnology.
A hierarchy in the world of plant hormones
Today, there is little scientific review and systematization of data on phytohormones and their action mechanisms. Plant hormones are organic molecules present in very low concentrations. They have at least one identified hormone receptor to which they bind to initiate signalling and specific hormone action, and are transported over long distances by vascular tissue (xylem or phloem).
The study examines the most important characteristics and functions of the 10 hormone groups considered so far in plants: auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene, salicylates, jasmonates, brassinosteroids, peptide hormones and strigolactones.
