Do strigolactones play a role in the ascent and attachment behavior of <i>Pisum sativum</i> ?

Strigolactones (SLs) are signaling compounds made by plants. They play a crucial role in acting as long-distance signals from root to shoot to coordinate shoot growth with root environmental conditions. Here, we test whether and how SLs play a role in the climbing behavior of pea plants by studying the circumnutation of the tendrils using three-dimensional (3D) kinematical analysis. To assess this, we compare the typical behavior of <i>P. sativum</i>, a wild-type plant that produces and perceives SLs, with mutants defective in SLs synthesis or signaling, known as <i>ramosus</i>(<i>rms</i>) mutants. The results indicate that mutant plants seem unable to locate and grasp a potential support. Their movement appears to be disoriented and much less energized. We contend that this research opens new avenues for exploring SLs' role in plant behavior, a novel lens through which the role of SLs in root-to-shoot communication can be observed and analyzed.