Responses of fatty acid and its derivatives to stress in plants

Biotic and abiotic stresses such as water deficit, low temperature, pest and disease place major constraints on plant growth and crop productivity. Fatty acids (FAs) and FA-derivatives are unique bioactive substances that show a wide range of functions in biological systems. They are not only important sources of reserve energy and essential components of membrane lipids in plants, but also play significant roles in improving stress tolerance by participating in a variety of defense ways, including basal, effector-triggered, and systemic immunity. In the present paper, the current status of FAs and its derivatives acting in the signaling pathways of plant defense were summarized. Moreover, the existing problems and research tendency were also discussed, expecting to provide the theoretical basis for forage resistance breeding.