Mini Review on Strigolactones: Newly Discovered Plant Hormones

Plant growth and development are dependent upon complex biochemical reactions where phyto-hormones are key players. Recent scientific developments in the research field of crop physiology have identified a class of novel plant hormones called strigolactones (SLs). Strigol, the first strigolactones was isolated in 1966. After twenty years of this discovery, the structure of strigol was completely elucidated. The significance of strigolactones lies in the fact that they act as rhizosphere signalling molecules, play important role in regulation of plant architecture, promote germination of root parasitic weeds which have fatal effects on plant growth. Strigolactones are play significant roles in plant biotic and abiotic stress responses. They have emerged as important biological targets to study different signalling pathways, stress responses and developmental stages of plant. Presently, two naturally occurring SL families have been reported. One of those is having stereochemical configuration of (+)-strigol and the other is having (-)-orobanchol. The most prominent role of SLs has found to help in seed germination in the Orobanche and Striga, parasitic weeds. They proved to be important bioactive compounds in in-planta and ex-planta signalling pathways and molecular botany. The potential uses of SLs in controlling parasitic weeds seed in agriculture, amplification of the branching in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is discussed in this review along with the biosynthesis, mode of action and roles of synthetic SL mimics in sustainable agriculture are highlighted. The objective of this work is to harness the benefits of SLs for sustainable agriculture in the near future. There are about 285 free full text out which 98 review articles are archived in PubMed database in the last five years, i.e, 2015-20, with the keyword strigolactone..