The interplay between plants, hormones, and microorganisms

Plants possess an extraordinary ability to adapt, which involves a series of biochemical processes occurring within their cells and interactions between them and their environment.

💧 Terrestrial plants must cope with limitations imposed by their habitat, including periodic shortages of water and nutrients, temperature fluctuations, and other factors.

🧪 Plant growth is regulated by phytohormones, including cytokinins and auxins, which influence the shoot-to-root ratio, thereby shaping their adaptive capabilities.

✅ When soils are deficient in phosphorus and/or nitrogen:

• auxin levels increase while cytokinin levels decrease,

• the shoot-to-root ratio decreases,

• roots become longer,

• root nodules form (in the case of nitrogen deficiency),

• arbuscular mycorrhizae form more frequently (in the case of phosphorus deficiency).

✅ Symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (root nodules) and mycorrhizal fungi enables plants to:

• acquire nutrients,

• gain support in reducing pathogen pressure,

• and develop strong roots.

⚖️ Under optimal conditions, auxin secretion decreases while cytokinin levels increase, which promotes better development of the aboveground parts of the plant.

🧩 Understanding the relationships between microorganisms, phytohormones, environmental stress, and the plants themselves can lead to the development of better agricultural practices.

📢 A communication network extending from the shoots to the underground allows plants to adapt to and survive in changing conditions.

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