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Are Fairy Chemicals a New Family of Plant Hormones?

Summary

Scientists discovered new plant growth-regulating compounds called ‘fairy chemicals’ that are produced by both fungi and plants. These compounds help plants grow better and resist environmental stresses like drought and temperature extremes. This research has important real-world implications: • Could increase food production by improving crop yields naturally • Helps plants better survive environmental stresses like drought and temperature extremes • Provides a new sustainable approach to enhance agriculture without synthetic chemicals • May help address global food security challenges • Could lead to development of new agricultural products that boost crop productivity

Background

Fairy rings are mysterious circular patterns of enhanced plant growth that appear in grass, caused by certain fungi. While traditionally thought to be due to nitrogen fertilization from fungal decomposition, this study investigated whether specific plant growth stimulating compounds were involved.

Objective

To isolate and identify the chemical compounds responsible for fairy ring formation, determine their biosynthetic pathways, and evaluate their potential as novel plant growth regulators.

Results

Three novel compounds were identified: 2-azahypoxanthine (AHX), imidazole-4-carboxamide (ICA), and 2-aza-8-oxohypoxanthine (AOH), collectively named ‘fairy chemicals’ (FCs). These compounds were found to exist endogenously in plants and are biosynthesized through a previously unknown purine metabolic pathway. FCs provided plants with tolerance to various environmental stresses and regulated plant growth. Treatment with FCs increased crop yields significantly – up to 25.5% in rice and 20.2% in wheat in field trials.

Conclusion

The discovered fairy chemicals appear to represent a new family of plant hormones, acting through mechanisms independent of known plant hormones. These compounds show promise for practical agricultural applications to increase crop yields and stress tolerance.
  • Published in:Proceedings of the Japan Academy Series B Physical and Biological Sciences,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research and Field Trial,
  • Source: 10.2183/pjab.95.003
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