A helping hand when drowning: The versatile role of ethylene in root flooding resilience

• Published in: Environmental and experimental botany 2023-09, Vol.213, p.105422, Article 105422
• Main Authors: Leeggangers, Hendrika A.C.F., Rodriguez-Granados, Natalia Yaneth, Macias-Honti, Monika Gyöngyi, Sasidharan, Rashmi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ethylene; Hypoxia; Roots; Systemic signaling; Waterlogging
• ISSN: 0098-8472; 1873-7307
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2023.105422

Ethylene plays a very important role as a stress signal for flooded plants, triggering a range of morphological and metabolic changes that help plants acclimate and survive these conditions. The present review surveys the current knowledge on the mechanisms underlying ethylene-dependent survival responses to waterlogging. We untangle the complexity of waterlogging signaling and response, focusing on root and shoot acclimation strategies mediated by ethylene. We describe how ethylene can have versatile roles in waterlogging tolerance, acting both as a local and long-distance signal during soil flooding and reoxygenation. We discuss the internal and external factors contributing to ethylene versatility in waterlogging responses. Finally, we highlight the current challenges and future research directions in the field, focusing not only on ethylene-mediated responses but also on flooding research applications in crop improvement. •Ethylene is a major hormonal regulator of plant responses to flooding stress.•Soil flooding or waterlogging elicits various morphological or metabolic adaptations to escape/cope with flooding-associated hypoxia.•Ethylene regulates many survival traits, either locally triggering root responses or long-distance signal for shoot responses.•The versatile role of ethylene in plant responses to waterlogging can be attributed to various factors.