Unveiling the Power of Strigolactones in Abiotic Stress Management: A Comprehensive Review

In the face of continuous climate change, environmental stress has become a major threat to agricultural productivity. To address these challenges, one key strategy is the application of phytohormones like abscisic acid, ethylene, auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, salicylic acid, jasmonates, brassinosteroids, and strigolactones (SLs). These hormones are important for supporting overall plant growth under stress, as they activate the key signaling pathways that help plants adapt to adverse conditions and mitigate productivity losses. Among these crucial phytohormones, SLs have gained attention for their unique act in plant adaptation to stress. Strigolactones are a newly identified class of phytohormones synthesized from carotenoids and were first identified as ecological signals involved in triggering the germination of parasitic seeds and facilitating symbiotic interactions between plants and beneficial microbes. Further studies have revealed their involvement in diverse developmental processes, such as root growth, shoot branching, reproductive development, and leaf senescence. Hence, the present review focuses on the roles of SLs in plant development and stress responses, covering their discovery, biosynthesis, and signaling pathways. It emphasizes the significance of SLs in mitigating abiotic stresses, including heavy metal toxicity, thermal stress, nutrient deficiencies, and oxidative stress. Finally, it outlines the future research directions and the potential of SLs to enhance plant resilience and productivity in changing environments.