Phytohormones and Plant Development

Abstract

Phytohormones or plant hormones are low-molecular-weight organic compounds, which act at very low doses to regulate practically every facet of plant growth, development and stress acclimatization. They constitute the chemical language that cells utilize to arrange morphogenesis, reproduction, as well as environmental signal response. The classical phytohormones (auxins, cytokinin, gibberellins, abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene) form this regulatory core, which has been broadened by the more recent classes, including brassinosteroid, jasmonates, salicylic acid and strigoglactones. The new genomic, proteomic and metabolomic received information has demonstrated complicated signaling crosstalk among these molecules which are controlled by the receptor-ligand selectivity, repressor degradation through ubiquitin, and incorporation of transcriptional systems. New forms of analysis technologies, including LC-MS/MS/MS quantification, fluorescence-based biosensors, and CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing are already in a position to provide an unprecedented degree of accuracy in quantifying and manipulating hormone dynamics (Waadt et al., 2020; Mukherjee et al., 2022). Hormonal processes can be controlled to produce superior plant structure, nutrient utilization and drought, salinity and disease adaptation. However, hormonal networks are complex and hence the majority of interventions are pleiotropic and therefore this needs integrative, systems-based, interventions which are an overlap of molecular, physiological, and field approaches. The current paper provides a summary of the available data on the hormone perception and signal transduction, overview of cross-communication among the pathways, the most advanced research methodology and implications of manipulating hormone to enhance crops sustainably.