Brassinosteroids and related compounds

Brassinosteroids are one of the newest classes of plant hormones. Since the discovery of the bioactive steroid brassinolide, in 1979, more than 60 similar compounds, the brassinosteroids, were isolated or detected from plant sources. They influence plant physiological processes, from pollination and seed germination to plant growth and development and many of them present significant plant growth promoting activity. The application of some of the natural brassinosteroids or their synthetic analogues increase crop yield or alleviate the effects of abiotic stresses, making this class of compounds environmentally friendly complements to crop production. Brassinosteroids and Related Compounds present the natural brassinosteroids, their biosynthetic precursors, their metabolites and their natural analogues, examples of the main classes of the brassinosteroids analogues, and how natural brassinosteroids are biosynthesized and metabolized, as well as lists the more than one hundred plant species or plant derived materials from which they were isolated, quantified or detected.