Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Interplay Between Environmental Signals
and Endogenous Salicylic Acid
Concentration
L. V. Kurepin, K. P. Dahal, M. Zaman and R. P. Pharis
Abstract Salicylic acid (SA), a naturally occurring plant hormone, is primarily
associated with the induction or activation of defence mechanism responses by
higher plants when they are attacked by pathogens. Attack of these plants by
pathogens rapidly triggers changes in a wide range of the plant's metabolic
pathways which in turn are followed by modifications in the plant's growth and
development. There are a number of references in the recent literature where SA
was applied to plants that are being subjected to changes in environmental sig-
naling without the involvement of pathogens. In these examples, SA appears to be
functioning as a hormone. Significant changes (usually positive) in shoot growth
and photosynthesis occur when SA is applied at low concentrations to plants
subjected to environmental stresses. In this review we focused on the interplay
between changes in endogenous SA concentrations and key environmental signals,
i.e. light intensity and quality, temperature, soil water availability and carbon
dioxide levels. In doing so, we evaluated the concept that endogenous SA func-
tions as an important signaling hormone in the plant's growth response to a
changing environment, even in the absence of pathogen attack.
Keywords Salicylic acid
Environmental signals
Light
Temperature
Water
stress
Carbon dioxide
Growth
Photosynthesis
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