Salicylic acid (SA)-mediated plant immunity against biotic stresses: An insight on molecular components and signaling mechanism

Since the beginning of the 21st century, climate change has been pervasive. Such climatic instabilities not only trigger plants’ adaptability and survivability in harsh environments, but also sustain the spread of a broad spectrum of pathogens including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that create disease pressure by affecting plant health and the immune barrier. Salicylic acid (SA) is a potent phytohormone and signaling molecule that plays pivotal roles in physio-biochemical processes during plant development. In addition to its widely known role in abiotic stress response, SA also plays a vital role in plants’ immune response to biotic stresses through their signaling pathways, molecular interactions, and corresponding interactions with other phytohormones like jasmonic acid, ethylene, abscisic acid, etc. In this perspective, signaling…