Abstract
Abiotic stress adversely affects plant growth and metabolism and as such reduces plant productivity. Recognized as a major contributor in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), it hinders the growth of plants through induction of oxidative stress. Biostimulants such as melatonin have a multifunctional role, acting as a defense strategy in minimizing the effects of oxidative stress. Melatonin plays important role in plant processes ranging from seed germination to senescence, besides performing the function of a biostimulant in improving the plant’s productivity. In addition to its important role in the signaling cascade, melatonin acts as an antioxidant that helps in scavenging ROS, generated as part of different stresses among plants. The current study was undertaken to elaborate the synthesis and regulation of melatonin in plants, besides emphasizing its function under various abiotic stress namely, salt, temperature, herbicides, heavy metals, and drought. Additionally, a special consideration was put on the crosstalk of melatonin with phytohormones to overcome plant abiotic stress.
Highlights
Abiotic stresses including extremes of temperature, drought, salinity etc, greatly influence plant growth and productivity [1,2,3]
Abiotic stresses affecting different stages of plant growth constitute about 70% of the losses in yield among major crop plants like rice, wheat, corn, etc. [13,14,15,16]
Keeping in view immune priming of plants that offer the potential of imparting resistance against different environmental stresses, the current study was undertaken to elaborate the role of melatonin in plant growth and development, with special emphasis on its crosstalk with plant hormones in enhancing plant productivity, besides having information in promoting and sensitizing plant defense to overcome the ill effects of different abiotic stresses
Summary
Abiotic stresses including extremes of temperature, drought, salinity etc, greatly influence plant growth and productivity [1,2,3]. Often correlated with a decrease in the soil water level, any significant reduction in the cultivable capacity of the soil often occurs with a change in the land use pattern from that typical of a fertile to marginal one [7,8] It affects growth and development of crop plants via a reduction in germination, a decrease in the photosynthetic activity and carbon assimilation to a large extent, decreased flowering, and pollen sterility, and as such, acts as a major limiting factor for crop yield [9,10,11,12]. Under continuous exposure to stresses (both biotic and abiotic), the priming of plants by biostimulants offers a novel way to regulate or modify different physiological processes that influence growth and development activities in plants. Keeping in view immune priming of plants that offer the potential of imparting resistance against different environmental stresses, the current study was undertaken to elaborate the role of melatonin in plant growth and development, with special emphasis on its crosstalk with plant hormones in enhancing plant productivity, besides having information in promoting and sensitizing plant defense to overcome the ill effects of different abiotic stresses
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