BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Physiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1631066
Structural substitutions on the methoxybenzene ring retain the biological activity of the zaxinone mimics MiZax3
Provisionally accepted
- 1King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- 2Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
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The plant growth regulator zaxinone is essential for proper rice growth and development. Additionally, zaxinone and its two synthetic mimics, MiZax3 and MiZax5, have been shown to significantly promote crop growth and reduce infestation by the root parasitic plant Striga by suppressing strigolactone (SL) production, highlighting their potential for field application. Here, we developed 4 new MiZax through structural modifications of the methoxybenzene ring in MiZax3 and evaluated their effects on plant growth and SL exudation. These newly developed mimics enhanced rice growth and reduced SL release without compromising the bioactivity of the lead compound MiZax3. Our findings underscore their potential to guide future chemical design efforts aimed at exploring zaxinone biology.
Keywords: Zaxinone, zaxinone mimics, MiZax, apocarotenoids, strigolactones, Rice (Oryza sativa), biostimulant
Received: 19 May 2025; Accepted: 26 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Wang, Jamil, Berqdar, Asami and Al-Babili. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Salim Al-Babili, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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