Brassinosteroids as Central Regulators of Plant Growth, Stress Tolerance, and Agricultural Resilience

DROUGHT STRESS IN Brassica napus: PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES, MOLECULAR MECHANISMS, AND INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

This review synthesizes existing knowledge on the morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular response of B. napus to drought stress and emphasizes the importance of phytohormone signaling, osmotic adjustment, and stress response gene and transcription factors in enhancing plant adaptation to drought conditions.

Rhizobacteria-Mediated Reprogramming of Phytohormone Landscapes for Mitigating Salinity Stress in Plants

Salinity stress is one of the major stressors that limits yield potential in field crops. Salinity-led imbalances in ionic and water potential, as well as oxidative damage, impair photosynthesis. Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) have been demonstrated to mitigate salinity-stress-induced damage through various mechanisms such as biofilm and exopolysaccharide production, modulation of plant root architecture or molecular signaling involving modulation of sodium/potassium efflux transporters. PGPRs are known to induce biosynthesis and signaling of various phytohormones in plants. PGPR-derived phytohormones can in turn regulate molecular signaling involved in maintaining ion fluxes, preventing salinity-induced senescence, and reinforcing plant root architecture, thereby maintaining plant growth and development under saline conditions. In this review, we provide comprehensive advances on how PGPRs modulate and integrate biosynthesis and/or signaling of various phytohormones, such as auxins, cytokinins, gibberellin, ethylene, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonates, brassinosteroids and strigolactones, to reshape plant architecture, physiological and biochemical responses in plants under salinity. We integrate molecular evidence with morpho-physiological studies and propose a phytohormone-centric framework to select strains that optimize growth, ion homeostasis and plant stress resilience under salinity.

Brassinosteroids in plant growth and stress adaptation: molecular mechanisms and physiological functions

Phyto-Oxylipins as Key Regulators of Plant Resilience to Abiotic and Biotic Stress.

Phyto-oxylipins, oxidized derivatives of unsaturated fatty acids, serve as crucial mediators in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, which are becoming increasingly frequent and severe under changing climatic conditions. These signaling molecules, produced enzymatically or spontaneously, orchestrate a wide range of physiological and molecular responses that enhance plant resilience. By scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulating antioxidant enzymes, phyto-oxylipins help mitigate oxidative damage, thus preserving cellular integrity and sustaining growth under environmental stress. Additionally, they interact intricately with key phytohormones such as jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid, and salicylic acid (SA), forming a dynamic hormonal network that regulates stress-responsive genes and adaptive processes. Beyond stress mitigation, phyto-oxylipins promote wound healing, programmed cell death, and cell wall reinforcement, essential for maintaining plant structural integrity. Recognizing these molecules as central regulators of stress adaptation offers promising avenues for developing climate-resilient crops. This review synthesizes current insights into the molecular and physiological roles of phyto-oxylipins, emphasizing their potential in integrating plant defense mechanisms to enhance crop productivity amid abiotic and biotic challenges.

Genetic and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Stress Tolerance and Strategies for Improvement: A Comprehensive Review

Traditional breeding and modern techniques like Marker-Assisted Selection, Genetic Engineering, Genome Editing and Genomic Selection are used to identify and integrate desirable traits into new crop varieties, enabling breeders to develop more robust and stable crops.

Abscisic acid interplay with phytohormones, plant growth regulators and signaling molecules in orchestrating an elaborate crosstalk for stress resilience in plants.