Karrikin

Karrikins are Butenolide derivatives produced by some plants on exposure to high temperatures due to brush fires. Karrikins trigger seed germination in plants whose reproduction is fire-dependent. Butenolides are a class of lactones with a four-carbon heterocyclic ring structure. They are sometimes considered oxidized derivatives of furan. The simplest butenolide is 2-furanone. Among Butenolide derivatives, Strigolactones (SL) are a group of carotenoid-derived plant hormones or phytohormones produced by a plant's roots. SLs play a role in the regulation of several aspects of plant growth and development and responses to biotic and abiotic stress.