Melatonin Mediates Enhancement of Stress Tolerance in Plants

Abstract

Melatonin is a multifunctional signaling molecule, ubiquitously distributed in different parts of plants and responsible for stimulating several physiological responses to adverse environmental conditions. In the current review, we showed that the biosynthesis of melatonin occurred in plants by themselves, and accumulation of melatonin fluctuated sharply by modulating its biosynthesis and metabolic pathways under stress conditions. Melatonin, with its precursors and derivatives, acted as a powerful growth regulator, bio-stimulator, and antioxidant, which delayed leaf senescence, lessened photosynthesis inhibition, and improved redox homeostasis and the antioxidant system through a direct scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) under abiotic and biotic stress conditions. In addition, exogenous melatonin boosted the growth, photosynthetic, and antioxidant activities in plants, confirming their tolerances against drought, unfavorable temperatures, salinity, heavy metals, acid rain, and pathogens. However, future research, together with recent advancements, would support emerging new approaches to adopt strategies in overcoming the effect of hazardous environments on crops and may have potential implications in expanding crop cultivation against harsh conditions. Thus, farming communities and consumers will benefit from elucidating food safety concerns.

Keywords: antioxidants; bio-stimulator; endogenous melatonin; exogenous melatonin; growth regulator; oxidative stress.

Figure 1

Biosynthesis of melatonin in plants. Modified from Zhang et al. [62].

Figure 2

Mechanism of melatonin activities in plants as a growth regulator, bio-stimulator, and antioxidant. Here, ROS, RNS, Aux, ET, JA, SA, ABA indicates reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, auxin, ethylene, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid, respectively.