2026/06/21 by Qingliang Hu, Jiayang Li, Bing Wang · 2 voices
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Plant Parasitism and Resistance #Insect-Plant Interactions and Control #Allelopathy and phytotoxic interactions
paper · doi:10.1111/jipb.70310
openalex publication_date 2026/06/21 · openalex created_date 2026/06/23 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Strigolactones (SLs) were initially identified as rhizosphere signals that trigger germination of parasitic weeds and promote branching in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. More recently, SLs have been characterized as a class of carotenoid-derived plant hormones that regulate plant architecture and stress responses. This review systematically summarizes their diverse functions in shaping shoot architecture and root development, as well as their ability to mediate acclimation to various abiotic and biotic stresses. It also discusses the canonical signaling module composed of D14, MAX2/D3, and D53/SMXLs and its extensive interactions with other hormonal pathways. Finally, this review suggests that future research should focus on elucidating the dynamic responses to environmental stress mediated by the SL pathway, decoding the functional diversification of SLs in different plant species, and leveraging SLs as rhizosphere signals to control parasitic weeds. Precise spatiotemporal modulation of SL activity is crucial for balancing its functional complexity and will contribute to designing crops with optimized plant architectures and enhanced stress resilience.