Mitigating Cadmium Toxicity in Plants by Phytohormones

Abstract A wide range of technogenic activities stimulates the contamination of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with multifarious inorganic contaminants such as cadmium (Cd). Due to its pernicious influence in plants, it is one of the most extensively studied metals. Currently, various nonconventional strategies for mitigating Cd-toxicity in plants are on the rise. Phytoremediation is one such exclusively derived process for remediation of Cd-contaminated sites. However, it is a time consuming strategy. Exploiting phytohormones (salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, brassinosteroids, abscisic acid, ethylene, gibberellic acid, etc.) is a vital, sustainable approach in alleviating Cd-toxicity in plants. These phytohormones can ameliorate the plant-Cd interaction, and exploring this would definitely increase the importance of their role in plant growth under Cd-stress. Additionally, this chapter emphasizes: (i) the introduction of crucial phytohormones and outlines their signaling in cadmium-stressed plants, (ii) assesses the mechanisms potentially included in phytohormone-mediated increased Cd-tolerance in plants.