Plant Hormone Interactions and Stress Responses

Plant growth and adaptation hinge on the dynamic interplay of endogenous signalling molecules known as phytohormones. Under adverse conditions such as drought, salinity, temperature extremes and pathogen attack, plants modulate biosynthesis, transport and sensitivity to hormones including abscisic acid, auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, ethylene, jasmonates, salicylates and brassinosteroids. Cross-talk between these pathways orchestrates a coordinated response, balancing growth and defence. For instance, abscisic acid accumulates under water deficit to close stomata and induce genes for osmoprotection, while jasmonates and salicylates govern responses to necrotrophic and biotrophic pathogens. Auxin often promotes growth but may be antagonised by salicylate signalling during stress. Meanwhile, brassinosteroids interact with gibberellins to sustain cell expansion under suboptimal conditions. Reactive oxygen species generated during stress serve both as damaging agents and as secondary messengers that interface with hormonal networks to fine-tune antioxidant defences. Such complex regulatory circuits underpin phenotypic plasticity, enabling plants to maintain yield and survive environmental challenges. Advances in molecular genetics and omics technologies have revealed novel regulators of hormone crosstalk and their potential for improving crop resilience through breeding or biotechnological interventions.

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Plant Hormone Interactions and Stress Responses publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in plant hormone interactions and stress responses across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Abscisic acid (ABA): A stress-responsive hormone that induces stomatal closure and osmoprotection during drought.

Auxin (IAA): A growth-promoting hormone regulating cell elongation, division and differentiation.

Hormonal crosstalk: Interaction between distinct signalling pathways to fine-tune physiological responses.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Partially reduced oxygen derivatives acting as both toxic by-products and signalling molecules.

Antioxidant enzymes: Proteins such as superoxide dismutase and catalase that scavenge ROS to protect cellular components.

References

1. Plant hormones and neurotransmitter interactions mediate antioxidant defenses under induced oxidative stress in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science (2022).
2. Dopamine Inhibits Arabidopsis Growth through Increased Oxidative Stress and Auxin Activity. Stresses (2023).
3. Nitrate stimulates adventitious rooting by increasing auxin content and regulating auxin- and root development-related genes expression in apple. Horticulture Advances (2023).