Revolutionizing High Temperature Stress Relief: Exploring the Latest Advances in Salicylic Acid Application

In the context of climate change, high-temperature stress poses a significant threat to plant growth and crop productivity. Due to the rise in global temperature, it is necessary to understand and manage the harmful effects of heat stress (HS) on plants. Salicylic acid (SA) is a naturally existing phytohormone. It plays an important role in boosting the ability of plants to withstand different environmental stresses, such as high temperature. This review delves into the various roles of SA to mitigate the harmful effects of HS in plants. SA, known for its traditional function in plant defense mechanisms against pathogens, has been identified as a regulator of numerous physiological, biochemical and molecular processes. SA mitigates high temperature stress (HTS) through diverse mechanisms, encompassing the control of antioxidant systems, adjustment of heat shock protein (HSPs) expression, preservation of membrane stability and induction of osmoprotectants. Furthermore, this review discusses the practical applications of SA in agriculture to enhance crop heat tolerance. External application of SA or SA analogs has exhibited promising results in improving crop yield and quality under HS conditions. However, the precise mechanisms of SA-mediated thermotolerance in different plant species and genotypes require further investigation. In conclusion, SA emerges as a vital regulator in the complex network of plant responses to HTS, requires further exploration of molecular and biochemical mechanisms by which SA improves plant thermotolerance.