The agricultural sector is facing unprecedented challenges with the increasing demand for food, feed, fiber, and biofuel. Additionally, climate change, loss of arable land, salinity, and water scarcity are major contributors to the decline in agricultural productivity. As a result, the application of phytohormones for sustainable agriculture is gaining popularity, particularly in plant biotechnology.

Phytohormones are molecules that regulate and affect many aspects of plant growth and development at the molecular, cellular, and whole plant levels. Due to their wide-ranging effects on growth, physiological and biochemical parameters, phytohormones can be used as a viable tool in plant biotechnology to elicit various developmental outcomes, e.g. organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. Phytohormones can also enhance the ability of plants to adapt to altered environmental conditions including abiotic and biotic stresses. In this regard, it is important to explore and understand the mechanistic processes of phytohormones in regulating plant growth and development, enhancing crop productivity, and stress tolerance.

Phytohormones act as key signal molecules that regulate various physiological and biochemical processes under normal and stressful conditions. Furthermore, understanding the interaction among phytohormones in signaling networks and mechanisms of action are fundamental biotechnological strategies for optimizing plant productivity and survival. Several molecular studies have revealed signal transduction pathways of key phytohormones such as cytokinins, auxins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, jasmonates, brassinosteroids, and strigolactones, and helped to illuminate their multi-faceted role in plant physiological processes.

The main goal of the Research Topic is to explore the role of phytohormones in alleviating global challenges related to plant productivity and a changing environment by delving into the mechanisms that regulate growth and development. The scope of the research will cover all conventional phytohormones (e.g. synthetic, natural, green, economic) and the so-called lesser-known phytohormones with the potential to promote plant growth, productivity, and stress tolerance in diverse plants with nutritional, medicinal, horticultural, and economic values.

The proposed Research Topic aims to provide cutting-edge research in understanding the role of phytohormones in plant biotechnology. The research will include contributions covering physiology, molecular biology, biochemical, and multi-omics approaches. We welcome submissions of original research, reviews, and methods, including but not limited to studies on the following topics:

• Application of phytohormones for organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis;
• Role of phytohormones in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), e.g., goal 2 (zero hunger: enhancing plant productivity) and goal 13 (climate change: alleviating salinity, drought, and other abiotic stresses);
• Role of phytohormones in improving biofortification;
• Profiling of phytohormones in plants to elucidate their metabolism;
• Key phytohormone-responsive genes in seed germination, plant growth, and development;
• Soil microorganism-mediated phytohormone synthesis and effects on plant growth and development;
• Newly discovered phytohormones – as new tools for driving plant productivity;
• State-of-the-art technologies used to study phytohormone signaling in plants;
• Bottlenecks experienced in exploring the potential of phytohormones in plant biotechnology.

Please note that purely descriptive studies that compile data without providing a physiological insight into the phenomena being described do not fall under the journal's scope and will not be considered for review.

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