Strigolactones in chemistry: Chemical tools to visualize and manipulate receptor function

Strigolactones (SLs) are structurally diverse plant hormones and rhizosphere signals whose receptor-mediated functions are increasingly accessible through molecular tools. This Highlight Review focuses on receptor-centric assay platforms, including fluorogenic probes and TR-FRET systems, that enable quantitative evaluation of SL perception. These tools have accelerated the discovery of antagonists and agonists, clarified receptor selectivity and structure-activity relationships, and, together with advances in SL synthesis, support the development of selective agrochemical and breeding strategies.