Role of 24-Epibrassinolide in Inducing Thermo-Tolerance in Plants

High-temperature stress (HT) is one of the most dramatic abiotic stresses, reducing crop yield significantly. Hormone application has been seen as one of most effective approaches in ameliorating HT stress-induced detrimental effects in plants. 24-Epibrassinolide (EBL) is an active by-product produced during brassinolide biosynthesis and can induce thermo-tolerance in plants by playing multiple roles in different metabolic processes. EBL application improves or protects plant growth and development under HT stress by improving the process of development and by protecting different plant growth stages from HT stress. Shortly, EBL improves plant growth and yield by improving germination, pollen development, pollen germination, biomass production and the source-to-sink relationship under HT stress. Moreover, EBL also enhances carbon assimilation rate, maintains positive redox potential and increases solute accumulation. EBL also increases the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) to further cope with HT stress. In conclusion, EBL is a very impressive phyto-hormone, which can ameliorate HT stress-induced detrimental effects in plants. In this review article, potential mechanisms are discussed with respect to EBL-induced thermo-tolerance in plants.