Abstract
Root growth is correlated to plants fitness and productivity, and adaption to stressful environments. Its growth is a complex and precisely regulated process that involves the interplay of multiple phytohormones. Jasmonates (JAs), as key defense hormones, not only participate in the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses, but also play a critical role in root growth and development. This review provides insights into the progress being made in understanding the role of JA in root growth and development, highlighting the integration of JA with other phytohormones, including auxin, ethylene, cytokinin, abscisic acid, gibberellin, and brassinosteroid. These hormone signaling pathways form a complicated regulatory network to shape the root system structure. Understanding the regulatory network of JA-regulated root growth will be instrumental for elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying plant growth-defense tradeoff, which will accelerate future crop breeding programs to obtain cultivars that combine robust defenses while maintaining normal yields.
Highlights
Jasmonates exert its regulatory roles on root growth by integrating with auxin, ethylene, cytokinin, abscisic acid, gibberellin, and brassinosteroid biosynthesis or signaling pathways through its core signaling module COI1-JAZ-MYC.
1 Introduction
As an underground organ of plants, roots anchor the plant to its growth substrate, absorb water and nutrients from the soil, and sense and respond to changing environmental situations. Plants with robust root system often exhibit obvious growth advantages and high resistance to abiotic stresses, thereby reducing seedling mortality and increasing yield (; Uga et al., 2013). There are two main types of root systems in plants: taproot systems and fibrous root systems. In dicotyledonous plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, a taproot system develops through a hierarchical pattern of primary and lateral root growth. By contrast, monocot crops such as Oryza sativa L. undergo an early developmental transition in which the embryonic primary root degenerates and is replenished by a fibrous root system predominantly consisting of post-embryonic adventitious roots, which are also known as crown roots in cereals (; Qin et al., 2022). With the deepening of the research on roots, many scientists are starting to see roots as central to their efforts to produce crops with a better yield. Moreover, it is becoming increasingly evident that optimization of root architecture for resource capture is vital for enabling the next green revolution ().
During the life cycle of plants, root systems are continuously renewed by the initiation and elongation of new roots, thus ensuring efficient acquisition of water and nutrients from the heterogeneous soil environment and facilitating the plant’s adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses, which contributes immensely to plant fitness and sustainable crop production under changing soil environment (; Voothuluru et al., 2024). Continuous root growth is sustained by cell division in the root apical meristem and cell elongation of cells that leave the root meristem (Perini et al., 2012; Petricka et al., 2012), this process is influenced by internal developmental signals and external environmental factors, and phytohormones are central regulators in this process (; Liu and Fu, 2024; Qin et al., 2019).
Jasmonates (JAs), including the lipid-derived hormone jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-Ile) and its metabolic precursors and derivatives, were primarily recognized as “defense hormones” in wounding and defense responses. Accumulating studies shows that JAs also play a crucial role in root growth and development (; Li et al., 2022). Studies have shown that JA exhibits dual regulatory characteristics of “inhibition and promotion” during root growth and development, which is achieved through the interaction with other phytohormones such as auxin, ethylene, brassinosteroid, etc (; ; Li et al., 2022; Qin et al., 2019). In this review, we summarize the current research progresses concerning the regulatory effects of JA and its crosstalk with other phytohormones during root growth and development, which will facilitate a better understanding of the function of JA in root development and provide guidance for genetic improvement of crop root systems to enhance crop yield and adaptation to stressful environmental conditions.
2 Biosynthesis and signal transduction of JA
2.1 Biosynthesis of JA
The biosynthesis of JA occurs in chloroplasts and peroxisome, initiating with the conversion of α-linolenic acid (α-LeA/18:3) into (13S)-hydroperoxyoctadecatrienoic acid (13-HPOT) by 13-lipoxygenase (LOX), which is then converted into 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) by allene oxide synthase (AOS) and allene oxide cyclase (AOC). OPDA is transported from chloroplasts to the peroxisomes by the chloroplast envelope-localized transporter JASSY (), peroxisomal ABC-transporter 1 (PXA1), and COMATOSE1 (CTS1) (Theodoulou et al., 2005). In the peroxisome, OPDA is catalyzed by OPDA reductase 3 (OPR3) to yield 3-oxo-2-(cis-2’-pentenyl)-cyclopentane-1-octanoic acid (OPC-8:0). OPC-8:0 is then activated to OPC-8:0 CoA by OPC-8:0 CoA ligase (OPCL), and subsequently JA is produced by three cycles of β-oxidation and exported to the cytoplasm (Sheard et al., 2010). In the cytoplasm, JA undergoes further modifications to form various derivatives, the most significant of which is jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-Ile). JA-Ile is recognized as the most biologically active form of JA, exerting physiological functions in plants by binding to receptors to activate downstream signals (Wasternack and Strnad, 2016) (Figure 1).
Figure 1
2.2 Signal transduction of JA
The core JA signaling pathway involves the F-box protein CORONATINE INSENSITIVE 1 (COI1) and the JASMONATE ZIM-DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins (Sheard et al., 2010). Generally, JA-Ile remains at a low level, leading to the accumulation of JAZ proteins, which physically bind to MYC transcription factors to repress their activity through two distinct mechanisms (; ; Yan et al., 2007) (Figure 1). Briefly, MYC-bound JAZ proteins recruit the co-repressors TOPLESS (TPL) and TPL-Related (TPR) proteins, either directly through ETHYLENE-RESPONSE FACTOR-associated amphiphilic repression (EAR) motifs located at the N-terminal region of the JAZ proteins, or indirectly via an interaction with the adaptor protein NOVEL INTERACTOR OF JAZ (NINJA) (Pauwels et al., 2010; Shyu et al., 2012). TPL in turn recruits histone deacetylases and histone methyltransferases to silence gene expression, thereby obstructing JA signaling transduction (Wang et al., 2013). Upon stimulation, JA-Ile rapidly accumulated, which promotes the binding of JAZ proteins to the COI1 component of the Skp1/Cul1/F-box (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex (SCFCOI1), resulting in the ubiquitylation and degradation of JAZ proteins (). JAZ degradation unmasks the MED25 binding site on MYC, allowing the formation of the transcription preinitiation complex with RNA polymerase II and thereby activating core JA signaling (; ). Moreover, MYC undergoes pronounced conformational changes when bound to the conserved Jas motif of the JAZs repressors, thereby preventing the interaction between MYC and the MED25 subunit of the transcriptional Mediator complex (Zhang et al., 2015a), suggesting a dynamic molecular switch mechanism that governs the repression and activation of JA signaling pathway.
3 The diversity role of JA in root growth
JA is a well-known defense hormone, and it also plays an important role in plant root development. Studies have shown that JA has biphasic effects on root growth; namely, inhibiting primary root elongation, whereas promoting adventitious roots, lateral roots, and root hairs development (; To et al., 2022).
3.1 The role of JA in primary root growth
The primary root, initiated during embryo development, is fundamental for seedling establishment as it provides the seedling with its sole source of anchorage and water/nutrient absorption. In dicot plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, the continuous growth of the primary root is required for plants to complete their lifecycles, whereas in monocot plants such as rice, the primary root grows rapidly for 7–10 days after germination and then dies when crown roots take over. Accumulating studies showed that JA inhibits primary root growth, and this effect is primarily mediated by the JA-COI1-JAZ-MYC2 signaling module (; ). Mutations in COI1 and MYC2, or overexpression of JAZs results in reduced sensitive to JA-induced primary root growth inhibition. Conversely, overexpression of MYC2 or mutations of JAZs leads to increased JA-induced root growth inhibition (; ; Thireault et al., 2015; Xu et al., 2002), suggesting the negative role of JA in primary root elongation. In rice, osmyc2 mutants exhibit longer primary root and reduced sensitivity to JA (Zu et al., 2024), whereas transgenic rice plants overexpressing OsMYC2 exhibited a dwarf phenotype and were more resistant to bacterial blight (Uji et al., 2016), suggesting the important role of JA in coordinating plant growth and defense responses.
Root growth is largely dependent on the rate of cell proliferation in the root apical meristem (; Zhang et al., 2015b). The quiescent center (QC), located in the center of the root tip, is consist of several mitotically inactive cells and function as organizer of the root stem cell niche. Its quiescence is fundamental to maintain root structure and meristem function (). JA treatment promotes the division of QC cells, thereby inhibiting cell proliferation in root meristem to inhibit primary root elongation, this effect of JA is executed by direct repressing of MYC2 to the PLETHORA1 (PLT1) and PLT2 genes, which encode the AP2 class of transcription factors that are essential for QC specification and stem cell activity (). Another AP2/ERF family transcription factor ERF115, which has been reported to control root QC cell division, was directly induced by JA in a COl1- and MYC2-dependent manner. erf115 mutant showed reduced JA-mediated QC divisions (; Zhou et al., 2019). All these studies suggest that JA inhibits primary root elongation by inducing the division of QC cells to reduce root meristem activity, and basal level of JA and intact JA signaling is crucial for QC quiescent and primary root elongation.
3.2 The function of JA in adventitious roots development
Adventitious roots (ARs) are the main components of the fibrous root system, which are grown from differentiated cells of non-root organs, such as stems, hypocotyls, or leaves. It formed either during the intrinsic development or in response to environmental stresses (Steffens and Rasmussen, 2016). ARs emerge from the stem nodes of cereals are called crown roots (CRs) (). These roots can be continuously renewed throughout the plant’s life and profoundly impact root system architecture and subsequent aboveground biomass accumulation, thus it has become a prime target for genetic improvement of crop root systems.
Numerous studies have shown that JA is involved in regulating AR development (; To et al., 2022). In Arabidopsis thaliana, genetic analysis has evidenced that the COI1-dependent MYC2-mediated JA signaling inhibited the intact hypocotyl-derived AR initiation. Moreover, JA represses AR initiation by activating the expression of ERF115 and its closest homologs ERF113 and ERF114. The ERF115 overexpressing lines developed extremely few ARs, whereas repressing ERF115 expression promoted ARs development (). Contrary to its function in Arabidopsis thaliana, exogenous JA treatment increased CR number in rice, and the germin-like protein OsGER4 is required for CR development under exogenous JA treatment. osger4 mutants produce significantly fewer CRs and fewer primordia under long treatment with JA (To et al., 2022). In wounded plants, JA has been demonstrated to act as a master trigger for promoting AR formation (Liu et al., 2025). The formation of ARs from stem cuttings or leaf cuttings is a key step in vegetative (or clonal) propagation, which is widely used in forestry, agriculture, and horticulture to propagate elite germplasm relatively quickly and cheaply. Collectively, these investigations show that JA has diverse roles in AR development, depending on developmental context and plant species, highlighting its potential as a target for genetic manipulation to improve root traits.
3.3 The role of JA in lateral roots and root hairs development
Lateral roots (LRs) development is initiated by the asymmetric division of the pericycle cells, and subsequent divisions result in the formation of LR primordial (LRP). Ultimately, the LRP break through the epidermal cells to become new LRs (Yu et al., 2016). Root hairs (RHs) are unicellular extensions of root epidermal cells (). LRs and RHs are the important root components, as they enlarge the soil-root interface, thus increasing water and nutrient uptake, and improving soil anchorage. The development of LRs and RHs is precisely regulated by intrinsic signals and environmental cues, and in particular by diverse endogenous hormones (; Sui et al., 2025; Sun et al., 2009).
JA significantly promotes the formation of LRs and RHs, thereby increasing the surface area of the root system and enhancing the plant’s capacity to absorb water and nutrients (; Zhu et al., 2006). In Arabidopsis thaliana, JAZs interacted with ROOT HAIR DEFECTIVE 6 (RHD6) and RHD6 LIKE1 (RSL1), two transcription factors that are essential for RH development, to repress the transcriptional function of RHD6 and interfere with the interaction of RHD6 with RSL1 to repress RH development. Accordingly, disruption of JAZ repressors promotes RH development. JA-induced root hair development was severely disrupted in rhd6 rsl1 mutants, and overexpression of RHD6 largely rescued the root hair defects of JAZ-accumulating plants (). Moreover, ERF114/115/109 regulates JA signaling through interacting with JAZ8, disrupting the formation of the MYC2/3/4-JAZ8 and RHD6-JAZ8 complex to regulate JA-promoted LR formation and RH growth (; Sui et al., 2025). In rice, exogenous application of 2 µM JA increased the LR density by 1.6 fold (Wang et al., 2002). Deficiencies of macronutrients (N, P and K+) enhance bioactive JA accumulation in rice root to promote LRs and RHs development to enhance the acquisition of nutrients from the soil, thereby alleviating the effects of nutrient deficiency on plant growth and crop yield (; ; Singh et al., 2020), suggesting that precisely manipulation of JA to improve crop root system could reduce fertilizer input without yield penalties, thus achieving green and efficient cultivation goals.
3.4 The role of JA in regeneration of roots after wounding
Root formation after tissue injury is a type of plant regeneration known as de novo root regeneration (DNRR). DNRR from aboveground organs, such as hypocotyls, leaves and stems, are the fundamental of vegetative or clonal propagation, which is exploited in horticulture and forestry to produce large numbers of clones relatively quickly (). When plants are injured, a series of responses are triggered to initiate injury repair and recovery, and JA serves as a key mediator in early signaling for DNRR (Zhou et al., 2019; ). JA rapidly accumulates after damage, thereby activating ERF109, an early JA-responsive gene, to upregulate the expression of ASA1 to promote the production of auxin, which further drives AR initiation and outgrowth from leaf explants (Zhang et al., 2019; Liu et al., 2022). Moreover, JAZs physically interact with ERF109 to inhibit its activity to prevent hypersensitivity to wounding. Mutations of ERF109 attenuated JA-induced LR formation and DNRR (; Zhang et al., 2019), suggesting a central role of ERF109 in JA-mediated DNRR.
QC and stem cell niche re-establishment is involved in root regeneration; this process is also regulated by JA. JA promotes cell division of the QC through the RBR-SCR network and stress response protein ERF115. In addition, JA-induced ERF109 transcription stimulates CYCD6;1 expression, which participates in the activation of cell division, functions upstream of ERF115, and promotes regeneration of the QC and stem cell niche during root regeneration. Soil penetration and nematode herbivory induce JA-mediated wound responses and regeneration (Zhou et al., 2019). These studies elucidate the genetic network of JA in root tip repair via activation of the QC and stem cell niche.
4 Interaction of JA and other phytohormones in root growth
JA exerts its regulatory roles on root growth by integrating with auxin, ethylene, cytokinin, abscisic acid, gibberellin, and brassinosteroid biosynthesis or signaling pathways through its core signaling module (COI1-JAZ-MYC), at multiple levels including transcription, translation, and protein modification (Figure 2).
Figure 2
4.1 Auxin
Auxin governs every process in root development. Disruption of auxin biosynthesis, transport and signaling leads to abnormal root development (Qin and Huang, 2018). Multiple studies elucidated that JA employs auxin to steer root development (; Sun et al., 2009). MeJA treatment induces the expression of genes related to auxin biosynthesis, transport, and signaling in roots, and thus participates in auxin-mediated primary root growth and LR initiation (; Wang et al., 2009). Moreover, JA-induced LR formation was repressed in mutants with defective auxin biosynthesis and signaling (Sun et al., 2009; Xu et al., 2020), indicating that JA-mediated root development is auxin-dependent. At the molecular level, several transcription factors, such as ERF109, ERF115, PLT1/2, have been identified as downstream targets of MYC2, are serve as central regulators linking the crosstalk between JA and auxin (; ; Sui et al., 2025; Zhou et al., 2019). Particularly, JA activates MYC2 to repress the expression of PLT1 and PLT2, which are key effectors for stem cell niche maintenance and root meristem activity and known to mediate developmental response to auxin in the root meristem, to inhibit primary root growth (; ). ERF115, a rate-limiting factor of QC cell division, induces by JA and auxin in a synergistic manner to promoter root regeneration (Zhou et al., 2019). ERF109, acts upstream of ERF115 to promote regeneration, directly binds to the promoters of ASA1 and YUC2 to activate their expression, thus enhancing auxin biosynthesis to promote lateral root formation. Overexpression of ERF109 produced much longer and more root hair. Knockout of YUC2 partially alleviated the root hair phenotype caused by ERF109 overexpression (). In addition, auxin modulates JA homeostasis by regulating Gretchen Hagen3 (GH3) genes, GH3.3, GH3.5, and GH3.6, through AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 6/8/17 (ARF6/8/17), then influences adventitious root formation (). Taken together, these studies suggest that there is a feedback regulation between JA and auxin, and the ERF109 regulatory module might be a key node in JA-auxin crosstalk in root development.
4.2 Ethylene
Ethylene as a gaseous plant hormone plays an important role in root growth and development. Generally, ethylene inhibits primary root elongation and LR formation, but promotes AR and RH growth (Li et al., 2024b; Qin and Huang, 2018; Qin et al., 2022), which is consistent or opposite to the role of JA in root growth (), implying that ethylene and JA antagonistically or synergistically to regulate root development in different root tissues and stages. ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 3 (EIN3) and EIN3-LIKE1 (EIL1) are two master transcription factors mediating the ethylene signaling transduction, are also required for JA-inhibited root elongation (Zhu et al., 2011). The ein3eil1 mutant was less sensitive, whereas transgenic plants overexpressing EIN3 or EIL1 were hypersensitive, to JA-induced inhibition of root elongation (Zhu et al., 2011). Further analysis of the associated mechanism revealed that JAZ proteins directly interact with EIN3/EIL1 and recruit an RPD3-type histone deacetylase (HDA6) as a corepressor to repress EIN3/EIL1-dependent transcription, and JA enhances the EIN3/EIL1 functions by removal of JAZ proteins (Zhu et al., 2011). This mechanism may also involve in regulating RH growth. Previous studies demonstrated that EIN3 interacts with RHD6 to co-activate RSL4 expression to promote RH formation and elongation (; Qiu et al., 2021), whereas JAZs interact with RHD6 and RSL1 to repress RH development (). Based on these studies, we speculate that JA promotes the degradation of JAZ proteins, thereby relieving the repression of JAZ proteins on the transcriptional activity of RHD6/RSL1 and EIN3/EIL1, which then coordinately regulate the expression of genes essential for RH growth.
4.3 Cytokinin
Cytokinins (CKs) are adenine-derived phytohormones that regulates cell division and differentiation in plants (). Accumulating studies showed that JA and CK act synergistically in regulating root growth (; ). Exogenous JA treatment inhibited the expression of CYTOKININ OXIDASE/DEHYDROGENASE 1 (CKX1), which encodes an endoplasmic reticulum-localized enzyme involved in CK degradation, leading to the accumulation of CK to inhibit AR initiation, and the COI1-MYC2 module is required for JA-suppressed CKX1 expression (). Moreover, JA and CK synergistically activate the expression of the ERF113, a negative regulator of AR initiation, to inhibit AR initiation (). ERF115, induced by JA and a direct target of MYC2, functions as a repressor of AR initiation by activating the expression of ATP/ADP ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE 3 (IPT3) to control the de novo CK biosynthesis (). Interestingly, the ERF115 promoter contains a CK-responsive motif, and a yeast one-hybrid screen has shown that two type-B Arabidopsis response regulators (ARRs), ARR1 and ARR20, bind to the promoter of ERF115 (). The type B ARRs are transcription factors that act as positive regulators in the two-component CK signaling pathway (), suggesting that CK signaling may also control the abundance of ERF115 transcripts, thus forming a feedback loop in AR initiation. Further exploring the mechanism underlying the synergism between JA and CK signaling will shed light on AR initiation regulatory processes.
4.4 Gibberellin
The interaction between JA and gibberellin (GA) in plant growth and development is primarily characterized by antagonistic effects (MaChado et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2012). Generally, GA promotes plant growth, whereas JA often inhibits growth, particularly under adverse stress conditions (Wang et al., 2021). At the molecular level, the antagonism between the JA and GA signaling pathways is primarily mediated by the interaction of JAZ proteins with DELLA proteins (). DELLA proteins serve as negative regulators of the GA signaling pathway (; Silverstone et al., 2001). It interacts with JAZ proteins to release MYC2 from JAZ/MYC2 complex, thereby enhancing the ability of MYC2 to regulate its target genes. GA triggers degradation of DELLAs, which allows JAZ1 to bind MYC2 and attenuates MYC2-dependent JA signaling. Loss of function of DELLAs decreases the sensitivity of root to exogenous JA (). Similar mechanisms also exist in rice. OsSLR1 is the only DELLA protein in rice, JA delays GA-mediated OsSLR1 protein degradation, and the slr1 mutant is less sensitive to JA-induced growth inhibition (Yang et al., 2012). OsJAZ9 interacts with OsSLR1 to mediate the antagonistic interaction between JA and GA signaling. Knocking out OsJAZ9 weakened GA-promoted growth, whereas overexpression of OsJAZ9 enhances the GA response (Um et al., 2018). Taken together, these studies provide a mechanistic understanding on how JA and GA signaling could be fine-tuned by each other through the interaction of JAZs and DELLAs.
4.5 Abscisic acid
Abscisic acid (ABA) is a well-known stress phytohormone which promotes adaption partly by modifying root growth (; Xiong et al., 2025). Several studies have shown that ABA interacts with JA to modulate root growth (; Pauwels et al., 2015). Transcriptome analysis ABA and JA responsive genes in rice shoot and root showed that half of the ABA-dependently expressed genes were also regulated by JA (), suggesting that ABA and JA act synergistically in terms of gene expression regulation. PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE-LIKE4 (PYL4) and PYL5, two genes encoding ABA receptors, were induced by JA. Mutation of PYL4 and PYL5 causes altered JA responses (). MYC2, core transcription factor of JA signaling pathway, has been identified as a positive regulator of ABA signaling. Transgenic plants overexpressing MYC2 exhibited higher sensitivity to ABA (). Furthermore, MYC2 interacts with ABA signaling transcription factor ABA INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5) to modulate root regeneration (Wan et al., 2025). The RING-type ubiquitin E3 ligase KEEP ON GOING (KEG), which negatively regulates ABA signaling via its suppressive effects on the ABI5 accumulation, directly interacts with and partially inhibits the degradation of JAZ12 during JA-mediated root growth inhibition. ABA treatment promotes KEG self-ubiquitination and degradation, leading to an increase in ABI5 levels and a decrease in JAZ12 levels (Liu and Stone, 2010; Pauwels et al., 2015), suggesting that KEG is a key node in the integration of ABA and JA.
4.6 Brassinosteroid
Brassinosteroid (BR) is a family of polyhydroxylated steroid hormones involved in many aspects of plant growth and development (Planas-Riverola et al., 2019). Mutants with defective in BR biosynthesis or signaling exhibited retarded root growth (Planas-Riverola et al., 2019; Vukasinovic et al., 2021). The relationship between BR and JA is not fixed; it shifts between antagonistic and synergistic depending on the developmental process or environmental condition. Under normal conditions, BR signaling can attenuate the JA-induced inhibition of root growth, creating a balance that prevents defense responses from completely stalling development (); when exposed to toxic heavy metals like Arsenic (As), both BR and JA could work together to mitigate damage. They help re-establish root growth and form barriers. For instance, xylogenesis was promoted by MeJA as a mechanical defense barrier against arsenate, while Epibrassinolide (eBL) counteracts the negative impact of arsenite on root formation (). Through screening for mutants that could suppress coi1 insensitivity to JA-inhibited root growth, partially suppressing coi1 (psc1) mutant was isolated (Ren et al., 2009). PSC1 is an allele of DWARF4 (DWF4), which encodes a key enzyme in BR biosynthesis. Mutation in DWF4 leads to JA hypersensitivity. Moreover, JA treatment inhibited the expression of DWF4, and this inhibition was dependent on COI1. Exogenous BR treatment can attenuate the inhibitory effects of JA on root growth (; Ren et al., 2009). These studies suggest that BR acts downstream of JA to regulate root growth, which extends our understandings on the JA signal transduction.
5 Conclusions and perspectives
The high developmental plasticity of root not only enabling plants to forage available water and nutrients from the heterogenous soil, but also improving plant survival under various dynamic environmental conditions (). Therefore, dissecting the regulatory mechanism of root growth can contribute to produce stress-tolerant crops with stable yields even in challenging environments. Numerous studies showed that JA plays an important role in root development, and it exerts this function through interacting with other phytohormones () (Figure 2). However, the complete network of JA and other phytohormones orchestrating root development is far from elucidated. Future studies should dissect the precise mechanisms of their interactions in a multidimensional space by employing single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, real-time imaging, and synthetic biology approaches, combined with AI-driven prediction, which will greatly promote research on hormone crosstalk, and provide potential targets for the cultivation of crop varieties with smart root and superior stress resistance.
JA is a critical phytohormone that regulates various aspects of plant development and stress responses (; Wasternack and Hause, 2013). An appropriate level of JA is essential for its biological functions, while excessive JA accumulation would trigger an over-activation of the defense machinery, which accompanied by a reduction in growth and reproductive outputs (Li et al., 2022). This growth-defense tradeoff mechanism allows plants to reallocate limited resources based on environmental stresses, thereby optimizing their fitness (). How to uncouple the growth-defense tradeoff is crucial for cultivation crops that combine robust defenses while maintaining normal yields. Recent studies have shown that modification of key components in JA signaling pathway uncoupled the growth-defense tradeoff (Li et al., 2024a; Xiao et al., 2025), opening broad avenues to obtain cultivars with enhanced yield without compromised defenses. Further identification of the favorable alleles of JA biosynthesis and signaling components would offer potential targets for marker-assisted selection and genome editing in future crop improvement.
In the past decades, plant breeders have already made huge gains by manipulating above ground traits, but the same is not true for root traits, as roots are encased in soil and cannot be visualized, digging them up is a time-consuming and sometimes back-breaking process, and the root phenotype is more prone to vary in different growth conditions compared with the aboveground traits. Until now, studies on root growth are mainly carried out in seedlings grown in hydroponic and gel/agar systems, which is distinct from roots grown in real soil conditions. With the development of technology, applying new approaches such as X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging to study the root system architecture in natural soils and in complex environments would enable more reliable measurement of root traits and the identification of related genes. However, CT requires specific equipment and a high expense for image collection. The development of simple, fast, and low-cost detection methods will greatly accelerate the research of root development.
Statements
Author contributions
WS: Funding acquisition, Project administration, Writing – original draft. BW: Writing – original draft. CK: Writing – original draft. GX: Writing – review & editing. RH: Funding acquisition, Writing – review & editing. HQ: Funding acquisition, Project administration, Writing – review & editing.
Funding
The author(s) declared that financial support was received for this work and/or its publication. This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31771749, 32472037) and the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U25A6026), and the Youth innovation of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Y2024QC14).
Conflict of interest
The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Generative AI statement
The author(s) declared that generative AI was not used in the creation of this manuscript.
Any alternative text (alt text) provided alongside figures in this article has been generated by Frontiers with the support of artificial intelligence and reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, including review by the authors wherever possible. If you identify any issues, please contact us.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
References
1
AbeH.UraoT.ItoT.SekiM.ShinozakiK.Yamaguchi-ShinozakiK. (2003). Arabidopsis AtMYC2 (bHLH) and AtMYB2 (MYB) function as transcriptional activators in abscisic acid signaling. Plant Cell15, 63–78. doi:10.1105/tpc.006130. PMID:
2
AidaM.BeisD.HeidstraR.WillemsenV.BlilouI.GalinhaC.et al. (2004). The PLETHORA genes mediate patterning of the Arabidopsis root stem cell niche. Cell.119, 109–120. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2004.09.018. PMID:
3
ArgyrosR. D.MathewsD. E.ChiangY. H.PalmerC. M.ThibaultD. M.EtheridgeN.et al. (2008). Type B response regulators of Arabidopsis play key roles in cytokinin signaling and plant development. Plant Cell20, 2102–2116. doi:10.1105/tpc.108.059584. PMID:
4
Belda-PalazónB.CostaM.BeeckmanT.RollandF.Baena-GonzálezE. (2022). ABA represses TOR and root meristem activity through nuclear exit of the SnRK1 kinase. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.119, e2215090119. doi:10.1073/pnas.2204862119. PMID:
5
CaiX. T.XuP.ZhaoP. X.LiuR.YuL. H.XiangC. B. (2014). Arabidopsis ERF109 mediates cross-talk between jasmonic acid and auxin biosynthesis during lateral root formation. Nat. Commun.5, 5833. doi:10.1038/ncomms6833. PMID:
6
ÇevikV.KiddB. N.ZhangP. J.HillC.KiddleS.DenbyK. J.et al. (2012). MEDIATOR25 acts as an integrative hub for the regulation of jasmonate-responsive gene expression in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol.160, 541–555. doi: 10.1104/pp.112.202697
7
ChenR.JiangH. L.LiL.ZhaiQ.QiL.ZhouW.et al. (2012). The Arabidopsis mediator subunit MED25 differentially regulates jasmonate and abscisic acid signaling through interacting with the MYC2 and ABI5 transcription factors. Plant Cell24, 2898–2916. doi:10.1105/tpc.112.098277. PMID:
8
ChenQ.SunJ. Q.ZhaiQ. Z.ZhouW.QiL.XuL.et al. (2011). The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor MYC2 directly represses PLETHORA expression during jasmonate-mediated modulation of the root stem cell niche in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell23, 3335–3352. doi:10.1105/tpc.111.089870. PMID:
9
ChiniA.FonsecaS.FernándezG.AdieB.ChicoJ. M.LorenzoO.et al. (2007). The JAZ family of repressors is the missing link in jasmonate signaling. Nature448, 666–671. doi:10.1038/nature06006. PMID:
10
CoudertY.PérinC.CourtoisB.KhongN. G.GantetP. (2010). Genetic control of root development in rice, the model cereal. Trends Plant Sci.15, 219–226. doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2010.01.008. PMID:
11
DeepikaSinghA. (2021). Expression dynamics indicate the role of Jasmonic acid biosynthesis pathway in regulating macronutrient (N, P and K+) deficiency tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Plant Cell Rep.40, 1495–1512. doi:10.1007/s00299-021-02721-5. PMID:
12
Della RovereF.MalimageS. A. F.D'AngeliS.PeduzziA.PiacentiniD.AltamuraM. M.et al. (2025). Brassinosteroids and jasmonates mitigate arsenite-and arsenate-induced morpho-anatomical anomalies in Arabidopsis roots. Plant Sci.359, 112625. doi:10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112625. PMID:
13
Dello IoioR.LinharesF. S.ScacchiE.Casamitjana-MartinezE.HeidstraR.CostantinoP.et al. (2007). Cytokinins determine Arabidopsis root-meristem size by controlling cell differentiation. Curr. Biol.17, 678–682. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2007.02.047. PMID:
14
DobA.LakehalA.NovakO.BelliniC. (2021). Jasmonate inhibits adventitious root initiation through repression of CKX1 and activation of RAP2.6L transcription factor in Arabidopsis. J. Exp. Bot.72, 7107–7118. doi:10.1093/jxb/erab358. PMID:
15
DolanL. (2017). Root hair development in grasses and cereals (Poaceae). Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev.45, 76–81. doi:10.1016/j.gde.2017.03.009. PMID:
16
FengY.XuP.LiB. S.LiP.WenX.AnF.et al. (2017). Ethylene promotes root hair growth through coordinated EIN3/EIL1 and RHD6/RSL1 activity in Arabidopsis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.114, 13834–13839. doi:10.1073/pnas.1711723115. PMID:
17
GanH.WangS. Y.YangZ. S.MaP. D. (2025). Molecular decoding of phytohormone crosstalk: JA-mediated key regulatory nodes and signal integration. Plants-Basel14, 2647. doi:10.3390/plants14172647. PMID:
18
GaoJ.ZhaoY.ZhaoZ. K.LiuW.JiangC.LiJ.et al. (2023). RRS1 shapes robust root system to enhance drought resistance in rice. New Phytol.238, 1146–1162. doi:10.1111/nph.18775. PMID:
19
GasperiniD.ChételatA.AcostaI. F.GoossensJ.PauwelsL.GoossensA.et al. (2015). Multilayered organization of jasmonate signaling in the regulation of root growth. PloS Genet.11, e1005300. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1005300. PMID:
20
GewinV. (2010). Food: An underground revolution. Nature466, 552–553. doi:10.1038/466552a. PMID:
21
GuanL.DenkertN.EisaA.LehmannM.SjutsI.WeibergA.et al. (2019). JASSY, a chloroplast outer membrane protein required for jasmonate biosynthesis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.116, 10568–10575. doi:10.1073/pnas.1900482116. PMID:
22
GuoQ.YoshidaY.MajorI. T.WangK.SugimotoK.KapaliG.et al. (2018). JAZ repressors of metabolic defense promote growth and reproductive fitness in. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.115, E10768–E10777. doi:10.1073/pnas.1811828115. PMID:
23
GutierrezL.MongelardG.FlokováK.PacurarD. I.NovákO.StaswickP.et al. (2012). Auxin controls Arabidopsis adventitious root initiation by regulating jasmonic acid homeostasis. Plant Cell24, 2515–2527. doi:10.1105/tpc.112.099119. PMID:
24
HanX.KuiM. Y.HeK. R.YangM. L.DuJ. C.JiangY. J.et al. (2023). Jasmonate-regulated root growth inhibition and root hair elongation. J. Exp. Bot.74, 1176–1185. doi:10.1093/jxb/erac441. PMID:
25
HanX.ZhangM. H.YangM. L.HuY. R. (2020). Arabidopsis JAZ proteins interact with and suppress RHD6 transcription factor to regulate jasmonate-stimulated root hair development. Plant Cell32, 1049–1062. doi:10.1105/tpc.19.00617. PMID:
26
HarberdN. P. (2003). Botany: relieving DELLA restraint. Science299, 1853–1854. doi:10.1126/science.1083217. PMID:
27
HeZ. H.WebsterS.HeS. Y. (2022). Growth-defense trade-offs in plants. Curr. Biol.32, R634–R639. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.04.070. PMID:
28
HentrichM.BöttcherC.DüchtingP.ChengY. F.ZhaoY. D.BerkowitzO.et al. (2013). The jasmonic acid signaling pathway is linked to auxin homeostasis through the modulation of YUCCA8 and YUCCA9 gene expression. Plant J.74, 626–637. doi:10.1111/tpj.12152. PMID:
29
HeymanJ.CoolsT.VandenbusscheF.HeyndrickxK. S.Van LeeneJ.VercauterenI.et al. (2013). ERF115 controls root quiescent center cell division and stem cell replenishment. Science342, 860–863. doi:10.1126/science.1240667. PMID:
30
HouX. L.LeeL. Y. C.XiaK. F.YenY. Y.YuH. (2010). DELLAs modulate jasmonate signaling via competitive binding to JAZs. Dev. Cell19, 884–894. doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2010.10.024. PMID:
31
HuangY.HanC. Y.PengW.PengZ. H.XiongX. Y.ZhuQ.et al. (2010). Brassinosteroid negatively regulates jasmonate inhibition of root growth in Arabidopsis. Plant Signal. Behav.5, 140–142. doi:10.4161/psb.5.2.10399. PMID:
32
HuangH.LiuB.LiuL. Y.SongS. S. (2017). Jasmonate action in plant growth and development. J. Exp. Bot.68, 1349–1359. doi:10.1093/jxb/erw495. PMID:
33
IkeuchiM.ShibataM.RymenB.IwaseA.BågmanA. M.WattL.et al. (2018). A gene regulatory network for cellular reprogramming in plant regeneration. Plant Cell Physiol.59, 770–782. doi:10.1093/pcp/pcy013. PMID:
34
KamaliS.SonkarK.SinghA. (2025). Cellular transport and multifaceted roles of jasmonates in nutrient deficiency response in plants. J. Plant Growth Regul.44, 115–130. doi:10.1007/s00344-024-11364-1. PMID:
35
KarlovaR.BoerD.HayesS.TesterinkC. (2021). Root plasticity under abiotic stress. Plant Physiol.187, 1057–1070. doi:10.1093/plphys/kiab392. PMID:
36
KimJ. A.BhatnagarN.KwonS. J.MinM. K.MoonS. J.YoonI. S.et al. (2018). Transcriptome analysis of ABA/JA-dual responsive genes in rice shoot and root. Curr. Genomics19, 4–11. doi:10.2174/1389202918666170228134205. PMID:
37
KimJ. W.SeoP. J. (2025). The early hormone signaling network underlying wound-induced root regeneration. J. Exp. Bot.76, 1996–2004. doi:10.1093/jxb/erae422. PMID:
38
LackmanP.González-GuzmánM.TillemanS.CarqueijeiroI.PérezA. C.MosesT.et al. (2011). Jasmonate signaling involves the abscisic acid receptor PYL4 to regulate metabolic reprogramming in Arabidopsis and tobacco. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.108, 5891–5896. doi:10.1073/pnas.1103010108. PMID:
39
LakehalA.DobA.RahneshanZ.NovakO.EscamezS.AlallaqS.et al. (2020). ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 115 integrates jasmonate and cytokinin signaling machineries to repress adventitious rooting in Arabidopsis. New Phytol.228, 1611–1626. doi:10.1111/nph.16794. PMID:
40
LeguéV.RigalA.BhaleraoR. P. (2014). Adventitious root formation in tree species: involvement of transcription factors. Physiol. Plantarum151, 192–198. doi: 10.1111/ppl.12197
41
LiY. X.GeB. K.YanC. X.QiZ.HuangR. F.QinH. (2025). Ethylene-triggered rice root system architecture adaptation response to soil compaction. Agriculture-Basel15, 2071. doi:10.3390/agriculture15192071. PMID:
42
LiY. X.WangJ.GaoY. D.Peralta OgorekL. L.ZhaoY.QuanR.et al. (2024b). The OsEIL1-OsWOX11 transcription factor module controls rice crown root development in response to soil compaction. Plant Cell36, 2393–2409. doi:10.1093/plcell/koae083. PMID:
43
LiL. L.XiaoY. J.WangB. H.ZhuangY. Q.ChenY. M.LuJ.et al. (2024a). A frameshift mutation in JAZ10 resolves the growth versus defense dilemma in rice. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.121, e2413564121. doi:10.1073/pnas.2413564121. PMID:
44
LiC.XuM. X.CaiX.HanZ. G.SiJ. P.ChenD. H. (2022). Jasmonate signaling pathway modulates plant defense, growth, and their trade-offs. Int. J. Mol. Sci.23, 3945. doi:10.3390/ijms23073945. PMID:
45
LiuH.FuX. D. (2024). Phytohormonal networks facilitate plant root developmental adaptations to environmental changes. Sci. Bull.69, 709–713. doi:10.1016/j.scib.2023.12.051. PMID:
46
LiuH. X.StoneS. L. (2010). Abscisic acid increases Arabidopsis ABI5 transcription factor levels by promoting KEG E3 ligase self-ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Plant Cell22, 2630–2641. doi:10.1105/tpc.110.076075. PMID:
47
LiuW.ZhangY. Y.FangX.TranS.ZhaiN.YangZ.et al. (2022). Transcriptional landscapes of de novo root regeneration from detached Arabidopsis leaves revealed by time-lapse and single-cell RNA sequencing analyses. Plant Commun.3, 100306. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3942123
48
LiuP. P.ZhangS. L.WangX. Y.DuY. X.HeQ. Z. H.ZhangY. Y.et al. (2025). Adventitious root formation in cuttings: insights from Arabidopsis and prospects for woody plants. Biomolecules15, 1089. doi:10.3390/biom15081089. PMID:
49
MaChadoR. A. R.BaldwinI. T.ErbM. (2017). Herbivory-induced jasmonates constrain plant sugar accumulation and growth by antagonizing gibberellin signaling and not by promoting secondary metabolite production. New Phytol.215, 803–812. doi:10.1111/nph.14597. PMID:
50
PauwelsL.BarberoG. F.GeerinckJ.TillemanS.GrunewaldW.PérezA. C.et al. (2010). NINJA connects the co-repressor TOPLESS to jasmonate signaling. Nature464, 788–769. doi:10.1038/nature08854. PMID:
51
PauwelsL.RitterA.GoossensJ.DurandA. N.LiuH.GuY.et al. (2015). The RING E3 ligase KEEP ON GOING modulates JASMONATE ZIM-DOMAIN12 stability. Plant Physiol.169, 1405–1417. doi:10.1104/pp.15.00479. PMID:
52
PeriniS.MambroR.SabatiniS. (2012). Growth and development of the root apical meristem. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol.15, 17–23. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2011.10.006
53
PetrickaJ. J.WinterC. M.BenfeyP. N. (2012). Control of Arabidopsis root development. Annu. Rev. Plant Biol.63, 563–590. doi:10.1146/annurev-arplant-042811-105501. PMID:
54
Planas-RiverolaA.GuptaA.Betegón-PutzeI.BoschN.IbañesM.Caño-DelgadoA. I. (2019). Brassinosteroid signaling in plant development and adaptation to stress. Development146, dev151894. doi:10.1242/dev.151894. PMID:
55
QinH.HeL. N.HuangR. F. (2019). The coordination of ethylene and other hormones in primary root development. Front. Plant Sci.10, 874. doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.00874. PMID:
56
QinH.HuangR. F. (2018). Auxin controlled by ethylene steers root development. Int. J. Mol. Sci.19, 3656. doi:10.3390/ijms19113656. PMID:
57
QinH.PandeyB. K.LiY. X.HuangG.WangJ.QuanR.et al. (2022). Orchestration of ethylene and gibberellin signals determines primary root elongation in rice. Plant Cell34, 1273–1288. doi:10.1093/plcell/koac008. PMID:
58
QiuY. P.TaoR.FengY.XiaoZ. N.ZhangD.PengY.et al. (2021). EIN3 and RSL4 interfere with an MYB-bHLH-WD40 complex to mediate ethylene-induced ectopic root hair formation in. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.118, e2110004118. doi:10.1073/pnas.2110004118. PMID:
59
RenC. M.HanC. Y.PengW.HuangY.PengZ. H.XiongX. Y.et al. (2009). A leaky mutation in DWARF4 reveals an antagonistic role of brassinosteroid in the inhibition of root growth by jasmonate in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol.151, 1412–1420. doi:10.1104/pp.109.140202. PMID:
60
SheardL. B.TanX.MaoH. B.WithersJ.Ben-NissanG.HindsT. R.et al. (2010). Jasmonate perception by inositol-phosphate-potentiated COI1-JAZ co-receptor. Nature468, 400–405. doi:10.1038/nature09430. PMID:
61
ShyuC.FigueroaP.DePewC. L.CookeT. F.SheardL. B.MorenoJ. E.et al. (2012). JAZ8 lacks a canonical degron and has an EAR motif that mediates transcriptional repression of jasmonate responses in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell24, 536–550. doi:10.1105/tpc.111.093005. PMID:
62
SilverstoneA. L.JungH. S.DillA.KawaideH.KamiyaY.SunT. P. (2001). Repressing a repressor: Gibberellin-induced rapid reduction of the RGA protein in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell13, 1555–1565. doi:10.1105/tpc.13.7.1555. PMID:
63
SinghA. P.PandeyB. K.MehraP.HeitzT.GiriJ. (2020). OsJAZ9 overexpression modulates jasmonic acid biosynthesis and potassium deficiency responses in rice. Plant Mol. Biol.104, 397–410. doi:10.1007/s11103-020-01047-2. PMID:
64
SteffensB.RasmussenA. (2016). The physiology of adventitious roots. Plant Physiol.170, 603–617. doi:10.1104/pp.15.01360. PMID:
65
SuiJ. X.YinQ. L.ChenY. Y.SunM.YuanX. Z.DingZ. J.et al. (2025). ERF114/115/109 are essential for jasmonate-repressed non-canonical JAZ8 activity in JA signaling. Cell Rep.44, 115222. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115222. PMID:
66
SunJ. Q.XuY. X.YeS. Q.JiangH.ChenQ.LiuF.et al. (2009). Arabidopsis ASA1 is important for jasmonate-mediated regulation of auxin biosynthesis and transport during lateral root formation. Plant Cell21, 1495–1511. doi:10.1105/tpc.108.064303. PMID:
67
TheodoulouF. L.JobK.SlocombeS. P.FootittS.HoldsworthM.BakerA.et al. (2005). Jasmonic acid levels are reduced in COMATOSE ATP-binding cassette transporter mutants. Implications for transport of jasmonate precursors into peroxisomes. Plant Physiol.137, 835–840. doi:10.1104/pp.105.059352. PMID:
68
ThireaultC.ShyuC.YoshidaY.St AubinB.CamposM. L.HoweG. A. (2015). Repression of jasmonate signaling by a non-TIFY JAZ protein in Arabidopsis. Plant J.82, 669–679. doi:10.1111/tpj.12841. PMID:
69
ToH. T. M.PhamD. T.Le ThiV.NguyenT. T.TranT. A.TaA. S.et al. (2022). The germin-like protein OsGER4 is involved in promoting crown root development under exogenous jasmonic acid treatment in rice. Plant J.112, 860–874. doi: 10.1111/tpj.15987
70
UgaY.SugimotoK.OgawaS.RaneJ.IshitaniM.HaraN.et al. (2013). Control of root system architecture by DEEPER ROOTING 1 increases rice yield under drought conditions. Nat. Genet.45, 1097–1102. doi:10.1038/ng.2725. PMID:
71
UjiY.TaniguchiS.TamaokiD.ShishidoH.AkimitsuK.GomiK. (2016). Overexpression of OsMYC2 results in the up-regulation of early JA-responsive genes and bacterial blight resistance in rice. Plant Cell Physiol.57, 1814–1827. doi:10.1093/pcp/pcw101. PMID:
72
UmT. Y.LeeH. Y.LeeS.ChangS. H.ChungP. J.OhK. B.et al. (2018). Jasmonate zim-domain protein 9 interacts with slender rice 1 to mediate the antagonistic interaction between jasmonic and gibberellic acid signals in rice. Front. Plant Sci.9, 1866. doi:10.3389/fpls.2018.01866. PMID:
73
VoothuluruP.WuY. J.SharpR. E. (2024). Not so hidden anymore: Advances and challenges in understanding root growth under water deficits. Plant Cell36, 1377–1409. doi:10.1093/plcell/koae055. PMID:
74
VukasinovicN.WangY. W.VanhoutteI.FendrychM.GuoB. Y.KvasnicaM.et al. (2021). Local brassinosteroid biosynthesis enables optimal root growth. Nat. Plants7, 619–632. doi: 10.1038/s41477-024-01732-w
75
WanQ. H.YaoR. F.ZhaoY.XuL. (2025). JA and ABA signaling pathways converge to protect plant regeneration in stress conditions. Cell Rep.44, 115423. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115423. PMID:
76
WangJ. R.HuH.WangG. H.LiJ.ChenJ. Y.WuP. (2009). Expression of PIN genes in rice (Oryza sativa L.): tissue specificity and regulation by hormones. Mol. Plant2, 823–831. doi:10.1093/mp/ssp023. PMID:
77
WangS. C.IchiiM.TaketaS.XuL. L.XiaK.ZhouX. (2002). Lateral root formation in rice (Oryza sativa): promotion effect of jasmonic acid. J. Plant Physiol.159, 827–832. doi:10.1078/0176-1617-00825
78
WangL.KimJ.SomersD. E. (2013). Transcriptional corepressor TOPLESS complexes with pseudoresponse regulator proteins and histone deacetylases to regulate circadian transcription. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.110, 761–766. doi:10.1073/pnas.1215010110. PMID:
79
WangY.MostafaS.ZengW.JinB. (2021). Function and mechanism of jasmonic acid in plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Int. J. Mol. Sci.22, 8568. doi:10.3390/ijms22168568. PMID:
80
WasternackC.HauseB. (2013). Jasmonates: biosynthesis, perception, signal transduction and action in plant stress response, growth and development. An update to the 2007 review in. Ann. Bot-London111, 1021–1058. doi:10.1093/aob/mct067. PMID:
81
WasternackC.StrnadM. (2016). Jasmonate signaling in plant stress responses and development - active and inactive compounds. New Biotechnol.33, 604–613. doi:10.1016/j.nbt.2015.11.001. PMID:
82
XiaoJ. L.NakamuraY.WuZ. X.FuW. J.ChenY. M.LouY. G.et al. (2025). A synthetic jasmonate receptor agonist uncouples the growth-defense trade-off in rice. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.122, e2505675122. doi:10.1073/pnas.2505675122. PMID:
83
XiongY. L.SongX. Y.MehraP.YuS. H.LiQ. Y.TashenmaimaitiD.et al. (2025). ABA-auxin cascade regulates crop root angle in response to drought. Curr. Biol.35, 542–553. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2024.12.003. PMID:
84
XuL. H.LiuF. Q.LechnerE.GenschikP.CrosbyW. L.MaH.et al. (2002). The SCF(COI1) ubiquitin-ligase complexes are required for jasmonate response in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell14, 1919–1935. doi:10.1105/tpc.003368. PMID:
85
XuP.ZhaoP. X.CaiX. T.MaoJ. L.MiaoZ. Q.XiangC. B. (2020). Integration of jasmonic acid and ethylene into auxin signaling in root development. Front. Plant Sci.11, 271. doi:10.3389/fpls.2020.00271. PMID:
86
YanY. X.StolzS.ChetelatA.ReymondP.PagniM.DubugnonL.et al. (2007). A downstream mediator in the growth repression limb of the jasmonate pathway. Plant Cell19, 2470–2483. doi:10.1105/tpc.107.050708. PMID:
87
YangD. L.YaoJ.MeiC. S.TongX. H.ZengL. J.LiQ.et al. (2012). Plant hormone jasmonate prioritizes defense over growth by interfering with gibberellin signaling cascade. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.109, E1192–E1200. doi:10.1073/pnas.1201616109. PMID:
88
YuP.GutjahrC.LiC. J.HochholdingerF. (2016). Genetic control of lateral root formation in cereals. Trends Plant Sci.21, 951–962. doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2016.07.011. PMID:
89
ZhangY. Z.JiaoY.LiuZ. H.ZhuY. X. (2015b). ROW1 maintains quiescent center identity by confining WOX5 expression to specific cells. Nat. Commun.6, 6003. doi:10.1038/ncomms7003. PMID:
90
ZhangF.YaoJ.KeJ. Y.ZhangL.LamV. Q.XinX. F.et al. (2015a). Structural basis of JAZ repression of MYC transcription factors in jasmonate signaling. Nature525, 269–273. doi:10.1038/nature14661. PMID:
91
ZhangG. F.ZhaoF.ChenY. Q.PanY.SunL.BaoN.et al. (2019). Jasmonate-mediated wound signaling promotes plant regeneration. Nat. Plants5, 491–497. doi:10.1038/s41477-019-0408-x. PMID:
92
ZhouW. K.Lozano-TorresJ. L.BlilouI.ZhangX. Y.ZhaiQ. Z.SmantG.et al. (2019). A jasmonate signaling network activates root stem cells and promotes regeneration. Cell.177, 942–956. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2019.03.006. PMID:
93
ZhuZ. Q.AnF. Y.FengY.LiP.XueL.AM.et al. (2011). Derepression of ethylene-stabilized transcription factors (EIN3/EIL1) mediates jasmonate and ethylene signaling synergy in Arabidopsis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.108, 12539–12544. doi:10.1073/pnas.1103959108. PMID:
94
ZhuC. H.GanL. J.ShenZ. G.XiaK. (2006). Interactions between jasmonates and ethylene in the regulation of root hair development in. J. Exp. Bot.57, 1299–1308. doi:10.1093/jxb/erj103. PMID:
95
ZuH. Y.JinG. C.KongY. Z.LiZ. Y.LouY. G.LiR. (2024). The N-terminal α2 helix element is critical for the activity of the rice transcription factor MYC2. Plant Mol. Biol.114, 2. doi:10.1007/s11103-023-01411-y. PMID:
Summary
Keywords
crosstalk, jasmonates, phytohormone, regulatory network, root growth, signaling transduction
Citation
Sun W, Wu B, Kong C, Xiao G, Huang R and Qin H (2026) The role of jasmonates in plant root growth and development. Front. Plant Sci. 17:1836825. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2026.1836825
Received
23 March 2026
Revised
28 April 2026
Accepted
29 April 2026
Published
13 May 2026
Volume
17 - 2026
Edited by
Conchi Sanchez, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain
Updates
Copyright
© 2026 Sun, Wu, Kong, Xiao, Huang and Qin.
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) and the copyright owner(s) 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: Hua Qin, qinhua@caas.cn
†These authors have contributed equally to this work
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.