Phytohormones Signaling in Crop Growth and Development in Relation to Environmental Stresses

Dear Colleagues,

In the era of climate change abiotic/biotic stress has emerged as a significant agricultural problem and prevents crop plants from reaching their full genetic potential and limits crop productivity worldwide. The improvement in agriculture practices is essential to enhance crop productivity through limiting abiotic stress impacts to address world food demand. Environmental stresses lead to several metabolic and physiological responses at cellular and whole plant level, including changes in the endogenous production of phytohormones. The modulation of phytohormones is one of the strategies plants adopt to survive in stressful environments. The classical group of phytohormones includes auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid and ethylene, while brassinosteroids,  jasmonates, salicylates, and  phytohormones like regulatory molecules such as polyamines, nitric oxide, strigolactones, karrikins and neurotransmitters are also considered as growth regulators/growth promoting like substances. It is necessary to understand the hormone physiology, their interactions with each other and other signaling molecules, and also their impact on the agricultural system. A complete understanding of the phytohormone's physiology and interactions would provide new strategies for improving crop vigor and development in the changing environment. The Special Issue is designed to elaborate the detailed mechanism of phytohormones actions at cellular, molecular and whole plant level against various biotic and abiotic stresses. These crosstalks are important implications for defense against stress. The outcome of the present proposal will explore the role of the phytohormones/plant growth regulators in suppressing the effect of stress that pose threat to the agricultural productivity.

We invite researchers to submit significant contributions as research or review articles to this Special Issue on the topics listed below, but not limited, to present state-of-the-art on the subject:

1. Phytohormones biosynthesis/signaling under optimal and changing environments
2. Phytohormones production and ROS scavenging
3. Phytohormones and agricultural benefits
4. Crosstalk of phytohormones under stressful environments
5. Phytohormones like regulatory molecules such as polyamines, strigolactones, and karrikins in relieving stress
6. Molecular mechanism of phytohormones signaling and their crosstalk

Dr. Mohd Asgher
Prof. Dr. Nafees Khan
Guest Editors

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• abiotic/biotic stress
• crop productivity
• phytohormones
• signaling