Strigolactone agonists/antagonists for agricultural applications: New opportunities
Dawei Wang, Zhen Xi
Abstract
Strigolactones (SLs) are a new class of phytohormones that not only act as signalling molecules with external rhizospheric fungus and stimulate the seed germination of root parasite weeds, but also regulate many aspects of plant development, such as regulating root and shoot architecture. These intriguing properties, which in turn, make SLs great potency for applications in agriculture. In this review, we highlight the recent advancements in applying SLs and their agonists or antagonists for agricultural applications, including controlling root parasite weeds, improving plant nutrient availability, and regulating abiotic stress responses. Although many SL agonists or antagonists have been synthesized since the first isolation of SL, strigol, in 1966, there is still no commercial application of this class of molecule. We also present an overview of the possible challenges for the practical application of SL agonists or antagonists.