Brassinosteroids roles and applications: an up-date

Brassinosteroids are plant steroidal compounds involved in many functions related with plant development, metabolism, signalling and defense against a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. Plant architecture, which has a major effect on crop yield, is strongly influenced by brassinosteroids action. Brassinosteroids are recognized as key regulators of plant growth and development involved in a broad spectrum of processes at the molecular, cellular, and physiological levels. These roles suggest that many of the constraints of present agricultural production might be alleviated by manipulation of genetic determinants dealing with brassinosteroids, as well as by its exogenous application. Brassinosteroids are natural, nontoxic, non-genotoxic, biosafe, and eco-friendly, and can therefore be used in agriculture and horticulture to improve the growth, yields, quality, and tolerance of various plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. The present paper comprehensively reviews the latest results in the field of brassinosteroids and envisages future impacts in agriculture.