Plant Growth Regulation Strategies Under Stress Conditions

Plants deploy an array of regulatory strategies to maintain growth and productivity when exposed to abiotic stresses such as salinity, drought, temperature extremes and heavy‐metal toxicity. Central to these strategies are endogenous phytohormones and exogenous plant growth regulators (PGRs) that fine‐tune developmental programmes and stress responses. Key mechanisms include modulation of stomatal aperture to control water loss, activation of antioxidant enzyme systems to scavenge reactive oxygen species, accumulation of osmolytes to stabilise cellular structures and selective ion transport to maintain nutrient balance. Advances in understanding signal transduction pathways have revealed interactions between hormonal networks—particularly abscisic acid, brassinosteroids, auxins and salicylic acid—and transcription factors that govern stress‐responsive gene expression. Integrated approaches now explore seed priming, foliar applications and root treatments with natural and synthetic PGRs, often in combination, to elicit enhanced resilience. Such strategies demonstrate global relevance for sustaining crop yields under changing climates and for rehabilitating marginal soils, offering practical solutions that bridge fundamental plant physiology and applied agronomy.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated that foliar application of the long‐chain alcohol triacontanol at low concentrations significantly mitigates salt stress in sensitive vegetable crops. In cucumber genotypes subjected to saline conditions, triacontanol feeding enhanced the activity of key antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase), promoted accumulation of compatible solutes such as proline and glycine betaine, and improved gas‐exchange parameters. These physiological adjustments led to better ionic homeostasis by elevating potassium and calcium uptake while reducing sodium and chloride accumulation. The net result was preservation of leaf water relations and marked improvements in growth and yield traits under salinity, emphasising the potential of targeted PGR use in saline agriculture.

Plant Growth Regulation Strategies Under Stress Conditions publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in plant growth regulation strategies under stress conditions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Phytohormone: A naturally occurring signalling molecule that regulates plant growth and stress responses.

Plant growth regulator (PGR): An exogenous substance applied to modulate plant developmental processes or stress tolerance.

Antioxidant enzymes: Proteins such as superoxide dismutase and catalase that detoxify reactive oxygen species generated under stress.

Osmolyte: A small organic compound (e.g. proline, glycine betaine) that accumulates to stabilise proteins and membranes during osmotic stress.

Triacontanol: A long-chain fatty alcohol used as a PGR to enhance photosynthesis and stress resilience at low concentrations.

24-Epibrassinolide: A brassinosteroid hormone used exogenously to improve photosynthetic efficiency and crop yield under suboptimal conditions.

References

1. Triacontanol modulates salt stress tolerance in cucumber by altering the physiological and biochemical status of plant cells. Scientific Reports (2021).
2. Sydnone Imines: A Novel Class of Plant Growth Regulators. Agrochemicals (2023).
3. Spraying humic acid regulator on cultivated Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. to improve yield of active constituents. Frontiers in Plant Science (2024).
4. Plant Growth Regulators Mediated Changes in the Growth, Photosynthesis, Nutrient Acquisition and Productivity of Mustard. Agriculture (2023).