JA-Ile-macrolactones uncouple growth and defense in wild tobacco

Small molecules capable of uncoupling growth-defense in plants are currently not known. In this study, for the first time, semisynthetic analogues of the phytohormone JA-Ile are employed to uncouple growth and defense responses in wild tobacco. The JA-Ile analogues are easily synthesized from inexpensive substrates via olefin metathesis.