Abstract: Plant can regulate the formation and subsequent outgrowth of axillary buds in axils via endogenous hormones or environmental cues, and accordingly, control the characteristics of shoot-branching. Strigolactones (SLs), previously known as the principal plant-derived signals triggering the seed germination of parasitic plants and promoting the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, are the carotenoid-derived signals exuded from plant roots. Recent studies demonstrated that strigolactones can move upwards to the stem, and, together with endogenous auxin and cytokinin, directly or indirectly inhibit the outgrowth of axillary buds. Now, strigolactones are thought to be a new kind of hormone. In this paper, the research progress in the structure, synthesis pathway, and bioactivity of strigolactones was reviewed, and the prospects in the applied fields such as how to use strigolactones to inhibit parasitic weeds, develop new herbicides, promote the symbiosis of plants and beneficial fungi, and control the branching and architecture of crop plants were also discussed.

Key words: Broadleaved Korean pine forests, Eco climatic suitability, Temperature water effect function, Climate change, Assessment