Here is a list of some of salicylic acid's properties when acting as a plant hormone. It is interesting to note, in light of these properties, that there is a popular belief that cut flowers will last longer if aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is dissolved in their water.
Location, Characteristics and Occasions for Synthesis Induction
- Cells returning from water stress
- Released by cells secure in having more than enough nutrients and environmental conditions locally to survive at its current metabolic level
- All cells capable of synthesizing
- Has its effect or acts by rapid local increases followed by rapid decreases in levels
Effects
- Retards senescence (regulatory role) – probably by inhibiting Ethylene biosynthesis
- Induces flowering
- Inhibits seed germination – by inhibiting ABA synthesis
- May also block the wound response and act antagonistically to ABA – preventing the wound response from spreading further than necessary
- After a survival threat has passed SA quickly removes a plant, organ, tissue or cell from a defensive posture and returns it to normal functioning
- Increases cell metabolism rate to take advantage of new complete more advantageous nutrient and environmental conditions (Not true in Theory II)
- A climactic or sustained level of SA may occur if a cell has reached its peak metabolic levels and may signal that a plant's resources can be turned to growth (Not true in Theory II of plant hormones)
- This climactic or sustained level of SA may be a prerequisite for the synthesis of Auxin and/or Cytokinin, because only then does a plant know that it has enough resources to turn them to growing bigger (Not true in Theory II)