Hormonal Crosstalk Under Stress: Integrating Plant Responses for Survival

Sophie Lambert

doi:10 .4172/2327-4581.1000411

Editorial, J Plant Physiol Pathol Vol: 13 Issue: 2

Hormonal Crosstalk Under Stress: Integrating Plant Responses for Survival

Sophie Lambert^*

Department of Plant Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium

*Corresponding Author:: Sophie Lambert
Department of Plant Physiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
E-mail: Sophie937@gmail.com

Received: 01-Mar-2025, Manuscript No. jppp-25-170646; Editor assigned: 4-Mar-2025, Pre-QC No. jppp-25-170646 (PQ); Reviewed: 18-Mar-2025, QC No. jppp-25-170646; Revised: 25-Mar-2025, Manuscript No. jppp-25-170646 (R); Published: 31-Mar-2025, DOI: 10.4172/2329-955X.1000389

Citation: Sophie L (2025) Hormonal Crosstalk Under Stress: Integrating Plant Responses for Survival. J Plant Physiol Pathol 13: 389

Supplementary File

Introduction

Plants, as sessile organisms, face a wide array of environmental stresses, both abiotic (such as drought, salinity, heat, and cold) and biotic (pathogen attacks, herbivory). To survive and adapt, they rely on a sophisticated internal communication system regulated by plant hormones. Key phytohormones like abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene (ET), auxins, gibberellins (GA), cytokinins (CK), and brassinosteroids (BR) mediate stress responses. However, these hormones rarely act alone. Instead, they engage in hormonal crosstalk—a complex network of interactions that allows plants to fine-tune their responses to overlapping or simultaneous stresses. Understanding this hormonal interplay is crucial for developing crops with improved stress resilience [1].

Discussion

Under stress, plants undergo rapid hormonal changes that trigger signaling pathways, gene expression, and physiological adjustments. For example, during drought or salinity stress, abscisic acid (ABA) plays a dominant role by promoting stomatal closure, reducing water loss, and inducing stress-responsive genes. However, ABA does not function in isolation. It interacts antagonistically or synergistically with other hormones depending on the type and intensity of the stress [2].

One well-known example is the antagonism between ABA and gibberellins (GA). Under drought conditions, ABA levels increase while GA biosynthesis is suppressed. This hormonal shift slows down plant growth and prioritizes survival over development. Similarly, ABA and auxin pathways often show antagonistic interactions during root development, with ABA promoting root elongation to search for water, while auxin regulates lateral root formation [3].

In biotic stress responses, salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) are key players. SA is typically associated with resistance to biotrophic pathogens (which feed on living tissue), while JA and ethylene mediate defenses against necrotrophic pathogens and herbivorous insects. The antagonistic crosstalk between SA and JA allows the plant to allocate defense resources efficiently. For instance, when SA levels rise in response to a biotrophic attack, JA-mediated responses are downregulated, and vice versa [4].

Crosstalk also occurs between abiotic and biotic stress responses. ABA, while central to abiotic stress tolerance, can suppress SA and JA signaling, potentially compromising the plant’s immune defense. This creates a trade-off between abiotic stress tolerance and disease resistance—a critical consideration in stress-prone environments [5].

Meanwhile, brassinosteroids (BR) and cytokinins (CK) interact with multiple hormone pathways, often modulating both stress responses and growth. BRs can enhance tolerance to cold and oxidative stress, sometimes through interactions with ABA or JA. CKs, while promoting cell division and delaying senescence, may reduce stress tolerance by antagonizing ABA signaling.

This hormonal crosstalk forms an interconnected network, enabling plants to process multiple environmental signals and coordinate appropriate responses. Recent advances in transcriptomics, hormone profiling, and molecular genetics have deepened our understanding of these interactions, offering opportunities to manipulate hormone pathways for crop improvement.

Conclusion

Hormonal crosstalk under stress represents a dynamic regulatory system through which plants integrate signals from multiple hormones to balance growth, defense, and survival. By modulating interactions between ABA, SA, JA, ET, auxins, and other hormones, plants can fine-tune their responses to complex and overlapping stresses. Understanding and manipulating this intricate network holds great potential for breeding or engineering crops with enhanced tolerance to both abiotic and biotic challenges, a necessity in the face of global climate change and growing agricultural demands.