The role of salicylic acid in plant flower development

Abstract

Salicylic acid (SA), belonging to a family of naturally occurring phenolic compounds, is a crucial plant hormone involved in many biological processes, such as plant immunity, seed germination, root initiation, stomatal closure, and biotic/abiotic stress response. SA playing central roles in many metabolic processes have been extensively characterized. However, the function of SA in plant flower development has rarely been investigated. This paper reviews recent research advances on the roles of SA in flower development, including regulation of stamen development, flowering time, and ovarian development. This study provides multiple lines and levels of evidence substantiating that SA plays important roles in flower development, and suggests a pressing need to study the flower development-related functions of SA in both annual and perennial plants.