Efficient Mimics for Elucidating Zaxinone Biology and Promoting Agricultural Applications

Abstract

Zaxinone is an apocarotenoid growth regulator and plant hormone candidate that promotes rice growth and acts as a negative regulator of strigolactone biosynthesis. Wang et al. performed a structure–activity relationship study and used obtained results to generate a series of easy-to-synthesize mimics of zaxinone (MiZax) that were as efficient as zaxinone in promoting rice growth, repressing strigolactone biosynthesis, and alleviating infestation by the parasitic weed Striga. The developed MiZax will significantly support zaxinone research and are promising candidates for agricultural applications.