Unlocking the potential of brassinosteroids: A path to precision plant engineering

Brassinosteroids are essential plant hormones that play a central role in regulating growth, development, and stress responses. Their impact on plant architecture and productivity makes them attractive targets for crop improvement. Recent findings reveal that brassinosteroid signaling is more complex than previously thought, involving multiple layers of regulation and cross-talk with other pathways. Cutting-edge technologies, such as single-cell analysis, proteomics, and advanced imaging in model plants, are beginning to uncover this complexity at cellular resolution. Applying these tools to crop species could reveal previously unknown signaling components and enable precise plant engineering. Because mutations in this pathway often cause widespread, unintended effects, future strategies must focus on fine-tuned tissue- or organ-specific modulation. This Review highlights how new insights could drive innovative, targeted crop enhancement.